\89 



ONLY ILLUSTRATED MAGAZINE PUBLISHED AT THE STATE CAPITAL 



xjiipV Valley Gazette 

Voij. V, No. 6 — 12 NxJMBEKS, $1.00 
ALBANY, N. Y., JUNE, 1897 

[entered at the ALBANY POST OFFICE AS SECOND-CLASS MAIL MATTER.] 



A MONTHLY MAGAZINE 

..SOCIAL, PERSONAL, HISTORIC-AI 

TRADE AND NEWS 
EVERY COPY A VALUABLE SOUVENIR 




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OF 



DEliHl, K- V, 



CENTENNIAL SOUVENIR. 



Copyright, 1897, by "Grip. 



PRICE, 25 CENTS 





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BIRDSEYE VIEW OF DELHI. N. Y. 




Class V\^^ 



Book. .X ) 3.^\M^ 
Copyright ]sl° 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSnV 



[Copyrighted by " Grip," 1897.0 



"GRIP'S" VfllibEY GAZETTE. 



Voii. V. No. 6. 



Albany, N. Y., June, 1897. 



12 Nos. $1.00 



[Entered at the Albany, N. Y., Post-office as second class mail matter.] 



GrviyoV HiSTOHlGRb SoUVE]^II^, Se^IES fio. 4. 

DELHI AND VICINITY 



ILLUSTRATED. 



CENTENNIAL SOUVENIR. 



fWHE village of Delhi is situated in the heart of 
A Delaware county, being the terminal of the 
Delhi branch of the New York, Ontario & Western 
railway. The elevation above the sea on the main 
street in the village is 1,453 feet. The population 
is about 2,000. It is located in a deep valley pro- 
tected by a high range of mountains, spurs of the 
Blue Mountain range, on each side. The distance 
to Walton, where the branch unites with the main 
line of the railway is seventeen miles ; the distance 
to New York is 196 miles ; to Albany, via the N. 
Y., O. & W. and the D. & H. railroads, is 142 miles ; 
to Binghamton, via D. & H., 77 miles. 

The Delaware river, commonly known as the 
West Branch, flows nearly west through the valley 
at this point separating the mountain range on 
the south from the village. Upon the foot or slope 
of these mountains are the sites of beautiful villas, 
some of them the homes of families of men who 
have acquired a competence in active business life. 
One of the finest of these residences and grounds 
is that of E. B. Sheldon, well known as a prosperous 
Chicago -business man. Across the valley are rich 
hillside farms stretching over the summit of moun- 
tains, and below with a perspective that delights the 
eye are numerous elevated sites for pretty homes. 

Towering on the south of the river, overlooking 
the main part of the village, is Mount Crawford, 
with a forest clad summit which presents to the 
eye a nearly perfect dome. Federal Hill stands to 
the east presenting a view up the river which is 
grand. Two miles above. Elk Creek empties into 
the Delaware, the two streams coming down sep- 
arate valleys which unite at the base of a bold and 
lofty mountain from the summit of which the view 
down the valley is remarkably striking. 



Opposite the village on the north rises what is 
locally termed Youmans' Hill, a succession of 
rolling summits which shut off from the east a 
narrow valley through which Steele's Brook flows 
to a junction with the Delaware in the western 
end of the village. Farther below, the mountains 
close in upon the river, terminating with a lofty 
barrier which presents a gracefully curved sky 
line — the summit of Mount McGregor. One mile 
below the village the Little Delaware empties into 
its more pretentious namesake. 

Near this point in the valley is the home of Mrs. 
John Sherwood, the well known authoress. 

The scenery in summer has a setting of dark 
green foliage wherever the eye turns. It presents 
all of the richness and none of the harsh lines of 
the virgin forests. In fold after fold this beautiful 
curtain drops on all sides, broken here and there 
with light green patches of lawn dotted with pretty 
specimens of modei'n architecture. 

The railroad winding along the river enters the 
west end of the village. There it stops, not ven- 
turing farther intrusion where nature sits en- 
throned in all its rural loveliness. 

The village stretches along the Delaware for 
nearly a mile. A broad evenly graded avenue 
guarded by majestic trees constitutes the business 
street of the village, intersected with numerous 
streets laid out at right angles. The average 
dwelling is of the better class of houses, sur- 
rounded with a pretty lawn and an abundance of 
shade and having an ample garden plat. 

The soil is fertile and crops in fair seasons are 
abundant. Delhi is the home of a class of people 
in good circumstances. Many of the families trace 
their ancestry to the early settlers of the county 



•<'\3 «»^^ ^ 



2 



THE DELHI HISTORICAL SOUVENIR. 



and village. There are several churches, an acad- 
emy Iq which the scholars may prepare for college 
and a public school. 

A reservoir of clear spring water furnishes an 
inexhaustible supply distributed by gravity. The 
waterworks include modern conveniences and are 
owned by the village. 

There are two staunch and conservative bank- 
ing in.stitutions, which do a large business and are 
really indispensible. 

Three weekly newspapers with an extended cir- 
culation among the farmers and the residents of 
tlie several villages throughout the county are eon- 
ducted h^^ able and intelligent editors. 

A large condensary furnishes the extended dairy 
farms a market for from twenty to thirty thousand 
(juarts of milk a day, which is shipped to New 
York. 

The Crawford wagon works furnishes employment 
to numerous me- 
chanics and sup- 
plies the market 
with all styles of 
vehicles with a 
special manufac- 
ture of running 
gear w h i c h has 
proven to be %ery 
popular with 
horsemen. 

Then there is a 
woolen mill, a tan- 
nery, saw nulls and 
feed mills. 

The stores arc 
well stocked with 
all classes of goods 
and the retail busi- 
ness of the town is 
quite extensive, a 
few neighboring 
\illages contriliuL- 
ing not a small 
portion of the cus- 
tomers. 




CHARLES S. WOODRUFF. 



The first Board of Supervisors was as follows : 
Colchester, William Hai-per ; Franklin, Enos Par- 
ker; Harpei'sfield, Roswoll Hotchkiss ; Kortright, 
Benajah Beardsley ; Middletown, Benjamin Milk ; 
Stamford, John Lamb ; Walton, Robert North. 



Village Officers. 

Pbesident— HENRY S. GRAHAM, 

Trustees— JAMES E. HARPER, 
CHARLES E. KIFF, 
JOHN D. FERGUSON, 
W. BLAIR WOODRUFF. 

Clerk— J. C. STODDART. 

Treasurer- S. FORMAN ADEE. 

Collector— ARTHUR G. FRISBEE. 

Street Commissioner— N. EVERY. 

Fire Wardens— JOHN BLAKE, 

H. E. STOUTENBURG. 

Janitor— JOHN BLAKE. 

Street Sprinkler- -R. H. NEAL. 



Charles S. Woodruff, the County Treasurer and 
the Vice-President of the Delaware Bank, is per- 
sonally active, and a good contributor, in all mat- 
ters tending to promote public improvement and 
to advance the interests of the village. Being a 
member of the firm of J. W. and C. S. Woodruff, of 
which his father is the head, and which conducts 
a large business in dry goods that was established 
many years ago ; also being an active worker in 
the Republican party, Mr. Woodruff is well known 
throughout the county. On different occasions he 
has represented the county in state conventions 
and has made many friends among Republicans 
who are distinguished in state politics. On the 
occasion of the state ball and subsequently the 
complimentary dinner to Senator Piatt, both of 
which were given in Albany last winter and were 
notable functions of a political character exceed- 
ing in importance any state event for years and 

attended by dis- 
tinguished states- 
men, Mr. Woodruff 
served on the re- 
ceptioin committee. 
He is a member of 
the executive com- 
mittee of the State 
League of Repub- 
lican Clubs and 
represented that 
important organ- 
ization as delegate 
to the National Re- 
publican League at 
Milwaukee in 1896. 
He has been honor- 
ed with a number 
of local offices, 
having served as 
treasurer of the 
village of Delhi in 
1892-3, treasurer 
of the village fire 
department in 
189 L-2, president of the Delaware County Agricul- 
tural Society in 1889-90, of which he is still a 
director, and one of the promoters and most active 
of members in the village board of trade, of which 
he was the secretary and treasurer. 

He became connected with the Delaware bank 
in 1894. For the past three years he has been one 
of the directors and for the past two years the 
vice-president. 

In the fall of 189,3, being candidate for county 
treasurer he made such a spirited canvass in the 
face of several other aspirants for the position 
that when the convention was called it was found 
that he had shut out all opposition, having all the 
delegates, and was consequently nominated by 
acclamation. Last fall at the expiration of the 
term he was renominated and re-elected, that oflice 
being conceded a two-term office. Mr. Woodruff 
was secretary of the county committee in 1891-2. 
His services in public office give satisfaction gen- 
erally through the county. He is broad in his 
views, genial to meet, and like all men who suc- 
ceed on their own merits courteous to all with 



THE DELHI HISTOEICAL SOUVENIE. 



whom he comes in contact. He is a member of 
Delhi Chapter, No. 240, E. A. M., of which he is 
one of the officers, and of the Dellii Lodge, No. 
439, F. & A. M. He was born in Delhi, March 5, 
1857, and was educated in the Delaware Academy 
in that village, from which he was graduated in 
1877. While attending school he clerked in his 
father's store and in 1880 bought an interest in the 
business. On April 30, 1890, he married Miss Ida, 
the daughter of John Hutson, of Delhi. In 1895 
he built one of the prettiest residences in Delhi. 
It stands at Main and Clinton streets surrounded 
with fine grounds. The house is lighted with 



and J. S. Page for three years ; in 1868 and 1870 0. 
W. Smith was Master and was followed by E. P. 
Cormack for one year and then Thomas Jackson, 
J. M. Preston, A. W. Abbott and J. H. Mcintosh 
each serving two years. T. W. Eobertson was Mas- 
ter in 1880 and was followed for two years each by 
W. H. Fisher and M. Farrington ; Frank L. Norton 
was Master in 1885, '86 and '87 ; W. E. Bill and M. 
O. Landon then served two years each ; W. Gr. Edg- 
erton was Master in 1892, '93 and '94, and W. J. 
Humphries in 1895, '96. The Lodge has a mem- 




CHARLES S. WOODRUFF'S RESIDENCE. 



electricity and the interiors are fitted in modern 
style in hard wood with oak and sycamore trim- 
mings. The plumbing is perfect throughout. 

Mr. Woodruff was deeply interested and took an 
active part in the movement for observing Centen- 
nial year with an appropriate celebration. He 
was a member of the General Committee and spent 
a good deal of time in assisting to make the cele- 
bration a success. 

Delhi Lodge, No. 439, F & A. M. , was insti- 
tuted in 1858, with P. B. Merwin as Master. Mr. 
Merwin was re-elected Master in '59, '60 and '61 ; 
Eobert Parker was Master for the next four years 



bership of about 140 and meets on the first and 
third Thursdays of each month, at 8 p. m., in 
pleasant rooms on the third fioor of the Page 
Block. The present officers are : W. M., Howard 
Bell; S. W., John J. Burke; J. W., Elbridge L. 
Hitt ; Treasurer, Aaron Stern ; Secretary, Frank 
L. Norton ; S. D., A. C. Douglas ; J. D., C. L. Huber ; 
S. M. C, Edward Boj^d; J. M. C, James Arbuckle; 
Chaplain, E. P. Cormack; Organist, W. L. Bell. 



The first consignment of freight to Delhi over 
the New York, Ontario & Western railway were a 
carload of fiour for Messrs. Hutson and a carload 
of coal for Mr. Edgerton. 



THE DELHI HISTOEICAL SOUVENIR. 



HISTORICAL REVIEW OF DELHI. 



|ELHI is one of the oldest incorporated villages 
in this State. The act was passed by the leg- 
islature March 16, 1821, and on the 1st of the fol- 
lowing May the voters met at the court house and 
elected village officers. The board met on the 21st 
of that month and organized. In June, 1822, an 
ordinance was passed providing for village hay 
scales and the board adopted a village seal. In 
1824 Charles A. Foote was chosen president. The 
public square was planted with trees in 1825. That 
was the year in which the people of the village 
were greatly frightened over the appearance of a 
case of small-pox. 



The First Stage Lines. 

In 1799 Amon Bostwick commenced a weekly 
mail stage between Kingston and Bainbridge (then 
Jericho), running through Delhi. 

In 1805 Amon drove the stage to Catskill. 

In 1825 or '30 William Moscript started a stage 
line between Delhi and Liberty. 

Stage lines since then were run from Delhi to 
Andes, Franklin, Bovina, Meredith, Stamford and 
Oneonta. 

Early Hotels. 

The first taverns, built of logs, were opened in 
1790 by Gideon Fris]3ee in the upper end and Geo. 
Yendes further down. 

In 1798 Mr. Denio opened a log tavern on a knoll 
now enclosed by the fair grounds. 




VIEW OF MAIN STREET, DELHI. 



A record of the first settlers of a town is inter- 
esting to study, as many names well known, in 
contemporaneous history are brought up bringing 
to the older residents a flood of recollections. It 
will be noted that in the very large list of Dela- 
ware county men named in this brief review there 
are many whose descendants are still living here, 
honored and respected by all. 

The first village officers, elected in 1821, were : 

President— CHARLES A. FOOTE. 

TKUSTEE.S— ERASTUS ROOT, 

JABEZ HITCHCOLK, 
G. H. EDGERTON, 
NATHANIEL STEELE, Jr. 

Clerk— GUERDON H. EDGERTON. 

Overseer of Highways— JABEZ HITCHCOLK. 



In 1800 Levi Baxter constructed a log tavern. 
This was purchased in 1807 and afterward con- 
ducted by Elijah Smith. This was afterward re- 
placed by a modern hotel. 

In 1812 Matthew Ray opened a tavern. 

The present hotels are the Edgerton, the Ameri- 
can, the Central and the Kingston. 

Early Business Enterprises. 
In 1795 Mat Ray opened a blacksmith shop. 
In 1819 D. Newcomb, William Collins and J. 
McPherson opened a shop. 

Thomas L. Landon opened a shop in 1820. 

In 1797 James Tift started brickmaking. 

John Doll opened a general store in 1806. 

In 1819 H. D. Gould and Jabez Hitchcolk opened 



THE DELHI HISTORICAL SOUVENIE. 



stores. In the same year T. B. Whitmarsh began 
the drug business. 

Next followed a hat store by A. & C. Thurber. 

In 1796 Clark Green went into the cooper busi- 
ness. 

In 1798 Benajah Bill was engaged in turning 
wooden ware on the Little Delaware. 

In 1820 Edward Flint started a harness shop. 

In 1827 E. D. Paine began business. 

Early in the century the tannery near Bridge 
street was in operation. In 1870 Mr. Frederick 
Stiefel purchased it. 

In 1826 a grist mill was constructed by George 
Sherwood who operated it until 183M when it passed 
into the hands of Kichard Titus. In 1870 Smith & 
Penfield purchased the property and constructed a 
new building, equipping it with improved ma- 
chinery. 



and Charles Marvine succeeded him. In 1842 Mr. 
Shaw was succeeded by Dubois Burhans. On April 
27, 1845, John W. Sherwood was elected cashier. 
He was succeeded August 5, 1848, by Walter H. 
Griswold. In 1865 the organization became a Na- 
tional Bank. The original capital was $100,000. 

The first board of directors were H. D. Gould, 
G. H. Edgerton, Amasa J. Parker, S. Gordon, N. 
K. Wheeler, Charles Hathaway, D. Burhans, C. 
Marvine, John H. Gregory, Darius Maples, Jonas 
More, Martin Keeler, Jr., Orrin Griffin. 

The Railway Bank, a private institution, was 
organized March 1, 1872, with Seth H. White as 
president and William F. White cashier. 

Physicians. 

We have been able to find in records the follow- 
ing names of early physieiaDS : 




DELAWARE RIVER, DELHI. 



The Woolen Mill. 



In 1824 the Delaware Woolen Factory Company 
commenced the construction of the dam and works. 
The company was composed of Samuel Sherwood 
and H. D. Gould, principal owners. In 1839 it was 
purchased by Eichard Titus, who operated it until 
the business was assigned to the Delaware Bank, 
which corporation continued it for a few years. 
In 1865 the firm of 0. S. Penfield & Co. took pos- 
session and continued until 1870, when it was suc- 
ceeded by the firm of Smith & Penfield. For some 
years following it did a large business giving em- 
ployment to several men and women, manufactur- 
ing annually from 20,000 to 25,000 yards of woolen 
cloth and furnishing a market for about 30,000 
pounds of wool annually. 

The Banks. 

The Delaware Bank was organized April 4, 1839, 
Herman D. Gould president and Giles M. Shaw 
cashier. On October 1, 1850, Mr. Gould resigned 



Dr. Thomas Fitch practiced from 1803 to 1810, 
then moving to Philadelphia. 

Dr. Asahel A. Paine began in 1807. 

Dr. Ambrose Bryan joined the medical society 
in 1807. 

Dr. David S. Denio, born in Delhi in 1793. 

Dr. Ebenezer Steele, admitted to the society in 
1821. Died December 3, 1865. 

Dr. Turner Vermilyea, admitted in 1828. Died 
September, 1830. 

Dr. Cornelius Eoot Fitch joined the society in 
1815. 

Dr. Ferris Jacobs came to Delhi in 1833. 

Dr. Abraham Miller joined the medical society 
in 1834. 

Dr. Almeron Fitch came to Delhi in 1839. Died . 
January 6. 1877. ■ 

Dr. Calvin Howard was located at Hobart many 
years but prominent in this section long before he 
moved to Delhi, in 1847. He died in 1873. 

Dr. John Calhoun moved to Delhi in 1865. 



THE DELHI HISTORICAL SOUVENIR. 



The Newspapers. 
The Delaware Gazette, the first paper in the 
county, was founded by John J. Lappon, Novem- 
ber, 1819. On April 3, 1822, it passed into the 
hands of David Johnson ; on March 27, 1833, be- 
came the property of Anthony M. Paine and Jacob 
D. Clark. On May 15, 18;:59, Mr. Clark retired. On 
February 1, 1872, George H. Paine and Ira B. Kerr 
took the paper. Sherrill E. Smith, the present 
editor, succeeded Mr. Kerr and afterward bought 

out Mr. Paine. 

The Delaware Express was founded in January, 
1839, by Norwood Bowne, who conducted it for 
over fifty years to the time of his death. In the 
spring of 1890 Mr. P. M. Gillies and Mr. Charles N. 
Bowne became the owners. In March, 1891, Mr. 
S. F. Adee purchased the paper and conducted it 
until October 1, 1894, when he sold it to Mr. Wil- 
liam Clark, the present editor and proprietor. 

The Delaware Republican was founded May, 
18«l), by Alvin Sturtevant and T. F. Mcintosh. In 
October. 1863, the 
Franklin Visitor was 
jiurchased and con- 
solidated with the 
Republican. In Feb- 
ruary, 1868. Mr. Stur- 
tevant sold his in- 
tiu'cst to Joseph 
Evc.land. In Decem- 
ber. 1869, Mr. T. F. 
Mcintosh purchased 
Mr. Evcland's inter- 
est. T h e p r e s (3 n t 
l)roprie(ors are Mr. 
T. F. and his son R. 
P. Mcintosh. 

The Delaware 
Journal was issued 
April 16, 1834, by 
Wliiiiplo & Wright, 
iiul was discontinued 
after a short time. 

The Voice of the 
People (the organ of 
the anti-rent party) 
was issued by W. G. 
Hawley, iji June, 
184(), and was pub- 
lished a few years. 

TIk; Star of Dela- 
war(! was issued in 
De<-ember, 18.59, l)y Rev. C. B. Smyth. 

T1h3 Young Patriot was printed for a short time 
in 1860, ajid The American Banner, in 1862, for a 
short time also, by Ira G. Sprague. We have been 
unabh^ to g(^t a copy of the same containing an 
illustration of an encounter Ix^tween two disciph^s 
of Blackstone during a trial before a justice of the 
peaces here. 

In July, 1887, Jack VanDerCook started a 
monthly publicatittn here (tailed The Croaker, and 
pul)!iKli(>d it two or three years. 

Delaware Academy. 
The earliest known record of this academy was 
an endowment of SO, 000 secured by an act of the 
legislature April 12, 1819. It was incorporated by 
the Regents of the State Ihiiversity February 12, 
1820. The first l>uilding was erected on land con- 
tributed by Gen. Erastus Root oij the .south side 
of court house square. In 1856 the trustees pur- 
chased twenty acres where it now stands, and 
through tlu! (Efforts of Prof. John L. Sawyer and 
William Wight, largely, raised $40,000 with which 




THEOPHILUS F. McINTOSH. 



the present building and the boarding hall were 
constructed. 

Present Officers and Trustees— John W.Woodruff, 
president ; Jerome I. Goodrich, secretary ; Charles 
E. Hitt, treasurer ; Edwin B.Sheldon, James R. Hon- 
eywell, George H. Millard. Henry Davie, Henry A. 
Gates, Herbert A. Pitcher, Wallace B. Gleason, 
John T. MacDonald, George W. Youmaus. 

The Fire Department. 
The Delhi Fire Department was organized April 
11, 1860. It consisted of 65 membeis with the fol- 
lowing officers : Chief, A. Cook Edgerton ; Assist- 
ant, Dexter Pettengill; Clerk, John A. Parshall; 
Treasurer, Caleb A. Frost. There Avere two com- 
panies : The Coquago Engine Co. No. 1, 40 mem- 
bers, and the Red Jacket Hose Co. No. 2, 25 mem- 
bers, now Youmans Hose Co. No. 2. 

The Delhi Water Company. 

It was incorporated February 19, 1872. The in- 
corporators were H. N. Buckley, Charles Hathaway, 
William Youmans, Charles Marvine, James H. Gra- 
ham, W. C. Sheldon, 
T. Benjamin Meigs, 
James H. Wright, 
Daniel T. Arbuckle 
and Caleb A. Frost. 
At the first meeting, 
March 15, 1872, 
Charles Marvine was 
chosen president, 
Charles Hathaway 
vice-president, D. T. 
Arbuckle secretary 
and treasurer, and J. 
H. Wright superin- 
tendent. The capital 
stock was $20,000. 
The reservoir is on 
Steeles' Brook, three- 
quarters of a mile 
from Main street. 

TheophilusF. Mc- 
intosh, senior editor 
and publisher of the 
Delaware Republi- 
can, was born in 
Kortright, Nov. 30, 
1829, of Revolutiona- 
ry and pioneer stock, 
his paternal and ma- 
ternal ancestors having both settled in Kortright 
near the end of the 18th century. The parents of 
Mr. Mcintosh removed to the town of Delhi in 1833, 
and in 1843 at the age of 14 years, he entered the 
office of the Delaware Gazette to become a printer, 
remaining with Gen. A. M. Paine, its proprietor, 
seven years. After a brief term at school and a 
short period as journeyman at Bainbridge he was 
summoned back to Delhi to accept a situation in 
the office of the Delaware Express and also to act 
as Assistant Postmaster under N. Bowne, the ed- 
itor and postmaster. After four years in that posi- 
tion and a new postmaster having been appointed, 
he went to Bloomville to work on the Mirror, the 
first journeyman employed on that paper, which 
was then small and had been conducted by Mr. 
Cliampiou aided by his mother and sister. In 1858 
h(^ was niarri(^d to Frances S. Keeler of Bloom- 
ville, and in 1859 he returned to Delhi having pur- 
chased material and become the publisher of the 



THE DELHI HISTOEICAL SOUVENIR. 



"Star of Delaware," which he had last been en- 
gaged in issuing at the Mirror office, its editor 
being Rev. C. B. Smyth, then of Delhi. 

In 1860 in connection with Alvin Sturtevant, the 
interest of Mr. Smyth in the Star was purchased 
by them and the present Delaware Republican was 
then founded. Mr. Sturtevant sold his interest in 

1868 to Joseph Eveland, now of the Dairyman. In 

1869 Mr. Mcintosh became and continued the sole 
proprietor until in 1895, his eldest son became a 
member of the firm, now known as T. F. & E. P. 
Mcintosh. That the paper has been reliable and 
therefore reasonably successful from the first is 
well known, and its history is the history of its 
epoch from the stirring times of the war period in 
which it was born until the present day. 

Mr. Mcintosh was elected Treasurer of Delaware 
County in 1869 and again in 1873 for a like three 
year term ; has served many years on the County 
Republican Committee and in 1884 was a member 
of the Republican State Committee, and when 
younger was many 
times a delegate to 
its important State 
Conventions and ac- 
tive in local party 
work as well as in 
his advocacy of Re- 
publican principles 
in the columns of the 
Republican. 

He is now in his 
6 "ith year. His wife 
died in D e c e m b e r 
last. Besides his son 
and partner with 
whom he now re- 
sides, he has two 
sons engaged in lum- 
bering in Missouri, 
son Charles, of Syra- 
cuse, for the last 
twelve years Rail- 
way Mail Clerk, a 
daughter residing in 
Syracuse, and one 
son who graduates 
at Delaware Acade- 
my the present term. 

Like the paper of 
which he was one 
of the founders, he 
has been before the public eye for many years 
of faithful service and has reason to hope 
that his labors have not been unworthy the appre- 
ciation they have experienced from many friends 
and patrons. 

Prof. Sherrill E. Smith, Ph. D., proprietor and 
editor of the Delawai*e Gazette, is one of the best 
known editors in this section of the state. In 1881 
he became editor of the Gazette, and on February 
1, 1895, the sole proprietor. During, his younger 
years he taught school and during that time made 
a high reputation as an instructor, having charge 
of important schools. As a speaker his services 
were in demand, and it was customary to call upon 
him to lecture at teachers' institutes, at anniver- 
saries and reunions of literary societies. In 1894 
he was the Democratic candidate for Congress 
from the 26th district, comprising the counties of 
Delaware, Chenango, Broome, Tioga and Tomp- 
kins, all strongly Republican. The result of the 
canvass showed that he had made a good run. 




PROF. SHERRILL 



which was all that he had reason to expect. For 
five years he was trustee of the village of Delhi 
and was president in 1891, '93 and '94. From the 
time of his residence in this village he exercised 
considerable personal iniluence in the party, taking 
part in caucuses, and attending county, congres- 
sional and state conventions as a delegate. Since 
he had charge of the Gazette it has been a potent 
factor in the party in this county. His writing is 
clear and forcible and to the point. Being a ves- 
tryman of the Episcopal church, which position he 
has occupied for years, he is an active worker in 
that society. "Whatever may be proposed in the 
interest of public enterprise finds in Prof. Smith a 
zealous promoter. He was born at Oneonta, N. 
Y., September 29, 1834, was fitted for college in 
the Delaware Academy in this village and was 
graduated at Union College in 1860. He was prin- 
cipal of the academy at Prattsburg, Steuben Co., 

N. Y., six years, and 
two years at the 
head of the Unadilla 
Academy. In 1809 
he came to Delhi and 
with Prof. William 
Wight was for six 
years associate prin- 
cipal of Delaware 
Academy. During 
the succeeding five 
years he was prin- 
cipal in sole charge 
of that institution. 
In 1880 Union Col- 
lege in recognition 
of his eminent servi- 
ces as an educator 
conferred upon him 
the honorary degree 
of Doctor of Philos- 
ophy. In 1862 he 
married Miss E. A. 
Newman of Una- 
dilla. They have 

F muTTH Ppt n *^o children Mrs. 

E. SMIIH, Ph. D. ^^^^^^. ^ E.igerton, 

wife of the Cashier of the Delaware National 
Bank and Miss Laura Gay Smith. 

Delhi Lodge, No. 625, L O. O. F., was insti- 
tuted on August 14, 1892, and meets every Friday 
evening in pleasant rooms on the third floor of the 
Bell Block. It has a membership of fifty and its 
officers are : Noble Grand, D. A. McNee ; Support- 
ers, Charles H. Barker, W. W. Hunt ; Vice Grand, 
F. M. Johnson ; Supporters, A. McPherson, A. A. 
McFayden; Secretary, S. N. Thompson; Treas- 
urer, James W. Williams ; Warden, Thos. Walker ; 
Conductor, John A. Woodburn ; Chaplain, John A. 
Parshall ; Inside Guardian, A. Hammond ; Outside 
Guardian, Thomas Michaels. On March 2, 1847, 
the first I. 0. 0. F. lodge in Delaware county was 
organized and designated as Delaware Lodge, I. 0. 
0."f., No. 265, of Delhi, and its first officers were : 
Noble Grand, T. H. Wheeler; Vice Grand, J. A. 
Hughston; Secretary, C. B. Smith; Permanent 
Secretary, H. Drake ; Treasurer, P. Frisbee. After 
existing for many years this lodge surrendered its 
charter, and all of its charter members are now 
dead. 



THE DELHI HISTOBICAL SOUVENIB. 



St. John's Episcopalian Church was organized 
in 181U at the Court House. With the aid of Trin- 
ity Church, of New York City, an edifice was erected 
in 1831. Rev. David Huntington, of Hobart, con- 
ducted occasional services until April i, 1820, 
when Eev. J. P. F. Clarke took charge until 1822. 
Again occasional services were held until 1828, 



uel G. Appleton, serving from May 12, 1850, to 
July, 1854. Eev. William Walsh was rector from 
1854 to 1856, and Rev. A. D. Benedict from April, 
1856, to March 27, 1864. Rev. Byron J. Hall 
officiated from July 10, 1864, to December 15, 
1867. For a brief period Eev. Edward B. Allen 
Avas rector, and in 1869 Rev. Joseph Richey offiicia- 
ted, remaining until 1871. During his vigorous 




ST. JOHN'S EPISCOPALIAN CHURCH. 



when Rev. Hewlitt R. Peters, D. D., took charge. 
After tlie ercH-tion of the edifice, in 1831, Rev. Or- 
ange Clark became the first settled rector and re- 
mained until 1834. Rev. Thomas S. Judd became 
rectoi- on July i, 1835, and r(!signed in Novem- 
ber, 1841. Rev. George Waters, D. D., officiated 
from 1842 to 1849, and was followed by Rev. Sam- 



s(>rvi(!e he infused new life and as a result the 
church propei'ty was greatly improved. Rev. E. 
B. Eussell was elected rector on September 23, 
1871, and served until May 1, 1880. The church 
improved in every resi^ect vinder his care and 
many rich gifts, including a fine rectory, were re- 
ceived. Rev. John Vaughn Lewis, D. D., was rec- 
tor until September 29, 1881, and was followed 



THE DELHI HISTOEICAL SOUVENIR. 



by Eev. James C. Kerr, who oflficiatecl from Jan- 
uary 5, 1882, to March 16, 1884'. Eev. Robert 
Spear Gross officiated from May 5, 1884, to No- 
vember, 1886, and Eev. Frank B. Eeazor from 
January 1-5, 1887, to October 11, 1891. Eev. 
Creighton Spencer was rector from January 2, 1892 
to June 19, 1893, and Rev. Arthur B. Livermore, 
the present rector, began his service on December 
3, 1893. 

The church has been indeed fortunate in the 
nature of gifts from the members of tlie Sheldon 
family. Commodore Elbridge T. Gerry, Robei't J. 
Livingston and others. On May 23, 1890, there 
was consecrated tlie finest memorial chapel [erected 
adjoining the church] in this state. It was given 
to preserve the memory of "Crawford Bernon Shel- 
don and Abigail Maxon, his wife," being erected 
and furnished throughout by their children. 

Wi'liam Clark, editor and proprietor of The 
Delaware Express, is a veteran newspaper pub- 
lisher who has achieved success in Delhi and has 
built up one of the best newspaper and job plants 
in this section of the 
state. As an editorial 
writer he has made 
the Express an influ- 
ential weekly paper. 
Ever aiming to arouse 
public enterprise and 
invoke commercial 
prosperity, Mr. Clark 
has through the col- 
umns of his paper ap- 
pealed to the public in 
behalf of any form of 
legitimate investment 
which would encour- 
age the building up 
of the town. He was 
from the beginning 
enthusiastic in advo- 
cating the proper re- 
cognilion of the cen- 
tennial anniversary of 
the organization of the 
county ; and personal- 
ly he contributed his 
services toward making the celebration a success. 
He was born in the town of Bovina, Del. Co., N. Y., 
September 30, 1844 ; the son of Peter and Eliza- 
beth Clark. He was educated at Andes Collegiate 
Institute, Andes, Delaware Co. On June 1, 1881, 
he purchased the Andes Recorder, of which he 
was editor and proprietor until April 1, 1892, when 
the plant was removed to Stamford, the paper 
then being continued as the Stamford Eeeorder 
with Mr. Clark as editor and manager. "While 
there he encouraged public impi'ovement not only 
in the columns of the paper but in other ways 
which were efficacious in attracting outside capi- 
tal to the town. In August, 1894, he sold his in- 
terest in the paper and in October following came 
to Delhi, purchasing and taking control of the 
Delaware Express. On January 25, 1871, he mar- 
ried Jennie B. Gill, of Bovina, who died February 
28, 1891. He is an active member of the Second 
Presbyterian Church. 



HISTORICAL NOTES OF INTEREST. 




WILLIAM CLARK. 



THE first survey made in the county was by 
Philip Livingston and Ebenezer Wooster in 
1749. The latter located a nucleus of lots in the 
present town of Colchester, up the Papagonk. 
Livingston opened a tract on the "West Branch. 
From these surveys sprung a new grant of land 
embracing two millions of acres. 

The first settlers in Delaware county were Chris- 
tian Yaple, Philip Yaple, Jacob "Van Benschoten, 
Egnor Dumond, John Delemater, Tunis Swart, 
Gideon Vanakin. Five were Holland born, coming 
here from Ulster county. Two were American 
born. 

The first deed recorded in the county, filed June 
24, 1797, was given by John K. Smith, of New Jer- 
sey, to Elias Jackson, of Ontario county. 

The shire house of the county for several years 
was that of Gideon 
Frisbee at the mouth 
of Elk Creek in the 
town of Delhi. It was 
there that court was 
held and the super- 
visors met; the county 
clerk did all his busi- 
ness there. This con- 
tinued until the next 
year when a small 
building costing 
|;2,054.46 was erected. 
On April 17, 1820, this 
building burned and 
with it a prisoner. 
The next building cost 
$8,000. This was re- 
placed 50 years later 
by the present struc- 
ture. 

In July 1800 the 
taxable inhabitants of 
Delaware County were 
1,681. 

The attorneys who 
were officers of the first 
court were Anthony 
Marvine, Erastus Boot, Conrad Elmendorf, Philip 
Gebbard, David Phelps and Cornelius Yates. 

In June, 1814, James Graham was convicted of 
the murder of Hugh Cameron and Alexander 
McGiffrey. He was hung in Delhi, on July 29, 
1814. 

The trees in the public square of the village are 
seventy-two years old. 

The property real and personal in the village in 
1824 was valued at $20,100. In that year the first 
assessment was levied. 

Division street was laid out in 1837, in which 
both Kingston and Elm streets were surveyed ; 
Bridge street in 1840 ; Edgerton, Cherry, Overlook 
and Prospect in 1874. 

The first regular postmaster with an office at 
Delhi was Adam Doll. 

Sluman Wattles was the first white settler in 
the town of Franklin. 

The tax for 1897 is $21.50 on $1,000 assessment. 



10 



THE DELHI HISTOEICAL SOUVENIK. 



The Indians of Delaware Co.— The Indian name 
for Delaware is Lenapewihituk. The beautiful, 
rich acres now included in the boundaries of Dela- 
ware county were the hunting grounds and lodge 
sites of the Lenape Indians, or, as they called 
themselves, the Delawares. The Tuscaroras were 
also residents of some portions of the county. The 
village of Pakatakan in the town of Middletown a 
little above Margaretville, was a settlement of 
lodges of Tuscarora braves and their families. 
Captain White Eyes was a notable warrior of the 
Lenapes who, at the time the Indians were asked 
to form an alliance in the revolution against the 
Americans, replied he would not make war on his 
white brothers. 

The Turtle, Wolf and Bear clan of the Iroquois 



followed the trail leading from the junction of the 
Mohawk river and Schoharie creek, along the lat- 
ter stream thence doAvn the DelaAvare river. The 
Canajoharie trail intersected the moccasin path 
following the Charlotte at the point where the lat- 
ter stieam empties into the Susquehanna. 

The first Avhite visitors to this section of the 
Delaware river were undoubtedly fur traders who 
marketed their furs in Albany. 

Early in the revolution the Dutch were largely 
in the majority among the settlers of Delaware 
county and they were chiefly Tories. On the other 
hand there was as vigorous though a smaller party 
of Patriots headed by the Harpers. 

The latter met at Harpersfield in August, 1775, 
and organized a vigilance committee appointed to 
watch the hostile tribes and their bloody allies the 
Tories. The vigilantes were John, Joseph and Al- 
exander Harper, John Harper jr., Isaac and Free- 
gift Patchin, Andres Kiber, AVm. McFarland, St. 




WAUTAUGA FALLS. 



occupied a part of the territory now constituting 
the towns along the upper l)ouudary of the county. 
In fact traces of the occupation of the Delawares 
have been found all along both shores of the 
Delaware river. Rude fortifications of (;arth 
thrown up in circular form were discovenul near 
Sidney Plains by the first settlers, and the; Indians 
held the tradition that they w(!re thrown up by 
their forefathers. Trails of Indian war parties cut 
across the county in all directions. Many of them 
wore important channels of <"omniunication be- 
tween the tribes of remote sec^tions of the state. 

AVar parties which descend(>d upon tha Mohawk 
and Schoharie frontiers fleeing with inisoners and 
booty to the Niagara forts and the British outposts 
along the great lakes during the revolutionary war 



Leger Cowley, Isaac Sawyer, John More and James 
Stevens. 

The first conflict between the white settlers and 
the Indians was between a company of colonists 
hoad(Hl by John Harper and a war party of braves 
on tlieii- way to surprise the settlement of Sidney 
Plains. The former fell upon the Indians while 
the latter were in camp and made them prisoners 
without shedding blood. 

Many bloody encounters between the Patriots 
and their hostile neighbors on the Delaware, fol- 
lowed. In April, 1780, Brant and his braves des- 
troyed Harpersfield. 



In 1H46 there were 288 public schools in the 
county in session on the average, seven months in 
tiie year each. The expenditures for tuition that 
year wore S14,013. The total number of pupils 
was 12,501. 



THE DELHI HISTOEIOAL SOUVENIR. 



11 





FRANK L. NORTON. 

Frank L. Norton is one of the leading business 
men of Delhi, having been in business here for 
twenty-four years. He is a skilled pharmacist of 
thirty-five years' experience and is well acquainted 
throughout Delaware County. The Delaware Phar- 
macy, as conducted by Mr. Norton and his son, 
Samuel H. Norton, contains the largest stock of 
drugs, books, stationery, fancy articles, etc., in 
Delaware County. 

Mr. Norton is a most prominent man in Masonic, 



Grand Army and Fire Department circles, 
and was Master of Delhi Lodge, No. 439, 
F. & A. M., in 1885, '86 and '87; was High 
Priest of Delhi Chapter, No. 240, E. A. M., 
in 1889 and '90 ; was Commander of Eng- 
land Post, No. 142, G. A. E., in 1882 and '83 ; 
and Chief Engineer of the Delhi Fire De- 
partment in 1888, '89 and '90. He was one 
of the organizers of Active Hose Company, 
No. 5, and served many years as Foreman 
of that company. 

Mr. Norton's experience in the army was 
as Adjutant of the Sixty-eighth Eegiment, 
N. Y. S. N. G., enlisting when less than 
/ twenty-one years old. 

In 1890 he was appointed a member of the 
State Board of Pharmacy, and so well did 
he fulfill the duties of that office that he 
was reappointed in 1895. He takes a great 
interest in all that pertains to his profes- 
sion and has attained a wide reputation as 
a pharmacist. 

Mr. Norton was born at Albany, N. Y., in 1842, 
and in 1869 was united in marriage with Miss 
Helen Odell, the daughter of Dr. E. Odell, of Una- 
dilla. He has two children, a son, Samuel H. Nor- 
ton, who is in partnership with him, and one 
daughter, Miss Catharine F. Norton. His resi- 
dence on Clinton street is one of the prettiest in 
this pleasant village. 




FRANK L. NORTON'S RESIDENCE. 



12 



THE DELHI HISTOBICAL SOUVENIR. 



THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. 



THE Delhi Fire Department was organized on 
April lltli, IHGO, in pursuance of an Act of the 
L(^gislature passed Marcli 30th of that year, and of 
the Trustees who presided at that first election 
two are still living, viz. : John A. Parshall and J. 
S. Page, both' residents of Delhi. 

The first Department officers were elected on 
that evening and were : Chief Engineer, A. Cook 
Edgerton; Assistant Chief Engineer, Dexter Pet- 
tengill; Treasurer, Caleb A. Frost; Clerk, John A. 
Parshall and the latter is the only one of them now 
living. The Chief Engineers have been as follows : 
A. Cook Edgerton, Dexter Pettengill, Thomas Jack- 
son, Robert P. Cormack, John C. Howard, George 
H. Smith, Alexander Hunt, William H. Douglass, 



Foreman, George A. Sturges ; Secretary, John H. 
Griswold ; Treasurer, Minor Stilson. The two last 
named are dead. Mr. Sturges lives in Delhi and 
Mr. Cormack in California. Coquago is the name 
given by the Indians to the West Branch of the 
Delaware Eiver. This company has a member- 
ship of 30 and the oflficers are ; Foreman, James 
Menzie; Assistant, E. P. Mace; Secretary, T. F. 
Mcintosh ; Treasurer, F. Stiefel. 

Red Jacket Hose Company, No. 2, was also 
organized on April 11, 1860, and its first officers 
were : Foreman, Charles F. Churchill ; Assistant 
Foreman, John C. Howard; Secretary, J. Henry 
Gould ; Treasurer, A. D. Cramer. Messrs. Churchill 
and Howard are still residents of Delhi, Mr. Gould 
resides in Binghamton and Mr. Cramer in New 
York City. On May 14, 1873, this company changed 
its name to Youmans Hose, in honor of William 
Youmans, Esq., of Delhi, and it now has a mem- 




DELAWARE RIVER VALLEY, ABOVE DELHL 



George H. Maxwell, Thomas Elliott, Charles R. 
Stilson, William J. Clark, Thomas J. Jackson, Mor- 
ris T. Menzie, Frank L. Norton, J. Kennedy Hood, 
James L. Meeker and William R. Price. The pres- 
ent officers are : 

Chief Engineek— JOHN J. BURKE. 
First Assistant Chief Engineek — JOHN A. 

WOODBURN. 
Second Assistant Chief Engineer — JAMES S. 

CUNNINGHAM. 
Ci.EEK— W. A. McINTOSH. 
Treasurer— D. L. WIGHT. 

Prior to the organizing of the Department there 
had been two hand engine companies. The Phenix 
and the Cataract, but both had disbanded. 

Coquago Engine Company No. i, was organ- 
ized on April 11, 1860, and elected the following 
officers : Foreman, James Cormack ; Assistant 



bership of 23 and the following officers : Foreman, 
James L. Meeker ; Assistant Foreman, F. M. John- 
son ; Secretary, Howard Hunt ; Treasurer, Marshall 
Gladstone. 

Delhi Hook and Ladder Company, No. 3, was 

organized on March 31, 1861, with the following 
officers : Foreman, D. Williamson ; Assistant Fore- 
num, Albert Smith ; Secretary, S. Rice. Messrs. 
Williamson and Rice reside in Delhi, and Mr. Smith 
is dead. On June 22, 1868, they changed their 
name to Graham Hook and Ladder Company, in 
honor of Hon. James H. Graham, of Delhi, and 
they now have a membership of 27 with the fol- 
hnving officers : Foreman, Frank Leal ; Assistant 
Foreman, Clark Gray; Secretary, Charles Cole; 
Treasurer, Henry Haines. 

Sheldon Hose Company, No. 4, was organized 
on October 19, 1865, being named after William C. 
Sheldon, ofl?New York City, who is a native of 
Delhi, with the following officers : Foreman, Myron 



THE DELHI HISTORICAL SOUVENIR. 



13 



Graham; Assistant Foreman, John VanHoesen; 
Secretary, Russell Frost; Treasurer, H. W. Price. 
Mr. Graham now resides in New York City ; Mr. 
Frost in Connecticut. Its present membership is 
25 and its officers are : Foreman, William R. Price ; 
Assistant Foreman, Charles Brady ; Secretary, Ed- 
ward Rockefellow ; Treasurer, George H. Smith. 

Active Hose Company, No. 5, was organized on 
April 9, 1877, with F. L. Norton as Foreman. Its 



ship of the company is 22 and its officers are : 
Foreman, W. G. Woods ; Assistant Foreman, Peter 
Robins ; Treasurer, Henry P. Woods ; Secretary, 
William A. Law. 

The Second Presbyterian Church was organ- 
ized at the Court House, in March, 1831, and the 
organization was completed on April 6, 1831, by 
a committee from the Chenango Presbytery. A 




SECOND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 



present membership is 20 and its officers are : 
Foreman, G. A. Heckroth ; Assistant Foreman, M. 
M. Blakeley ; Secretary, M. L. Fuller ; Treasurer, 
Daniel Franklin, Jr. 

Athletic Hose Company, No. 6, was organized 
on September 1, 1877, and is composed of colored 
men and has been continuously. Its first officers 
were : Foreman, W. G. Woods ; Assistant Foreman, 
George Bronk ; Secretary, Henry Jackson ; Treas- 
urer, Miles R. Bennett. Mr. Bennett is dead and 
the others reside in Delhi. The present member- 



building 40x60 feet in extent and costing $3,500 
was erected and was dedicated on October 1, 
1832. Rev. Samuel G. Orton was the first pastor, 
but Rev. Orlando L. Kirtland commenced his la- 
bors in May, 1832, as the first regularly ordained 
pastor. He was succeeded by Rev. Daniel Water- 
bury in December, 1835, who served until January, 
1838. Rev. Bloomer Kent served one year, being 
followed by Rev. Nathaniel H. Griffin, who ter- 
minated his pastorate in 1841. Rev. S. C. Specs 
was installed on December 29, 1841, and was 



14 



THE DETHI HISTOEICAL SOUVENIR. 



succeeded by Kev. Josiah Leonard in 1845. From 
1847 to 1849 Eev. Mr. Wynkoop, and from 1849 to 
1863 Eev. Dr. Torrey were the pastors. In 1863 
Rev. Theo. F. White became pastor and he was 
succeeded in January, 1866, by Rev. F. A. M. 
Brown, who ceased his pastorate on April 1, 1882. 
Rev. Frank H. Seeley, the present pastor, began 
his labors on May 1, 1882. 

In 1865 an addition was made to the church and 
in 1878 it was found necessary to remodel and en- 
large it, which was done at a cost of over $7,000. 
The church is centrally located, on the east side of 
and facing the public square. It will seat fully 
600 and is one of the handsomest churches in the 
county. The first trustees of this church chosen 
in March, 1831, were : Silas Knapp, Charles Hath- 
away, Timothy Perkins, Patrick Beardsley, James 
C. Leal, Jabez Hitchcolk, William Millard, Joseph 
Dodge and H. D. Gould. 

Capt. J. K. Hood, the County Clerk, was elected 
to that position December 6, 1894, receiving 3,105 
majority, the largest ever given a candidate in 
Delaware County. It was a fitting recognition of 
his services as a Republican 
that the party placed him in 
nomination, and it was a 
marked compliment to his 
standing as a citizen that he 
received so flattering a vote. 
For nearly thirty years he 
engaged in the mercantile 
business, entering civil life 
fresh from four years of 
active military service in the 
struggle to maintain the 
Union. In the maintenance 
of that bond of fellowship 
between the veterans of the 
late war and the advance- 
ment of the G. A. R., in 
which order he has had all 
the honors that the com- 
rades of the State of New 
York could confer, he is 
ever active and persistent. 
Always in attendance at en- 
campments and devoting CAPT. J. 

much of his time and means to the good of the 
order, he has become widely known among the 
veterans from other states. He was born in Oak- 
dale, Washington County, 111., September 1, 1843. 
John Hood, his father, a South Carolinian inactive 
sympathy with the anti-slavery movement, the 
cause which his son shouldered arms when 17 
years of age to maintain, emigrated to Illinois, 
where he was one of the earliest settlers in Wash- 
ington county, erecting a log cabin and tilling the 
virgin prairies. By industry and perseverance he 
accumulated three hundred acres and erected large 
well constructed farm buildings. There he died in 
1861. By his second wife, who was Rachel Ken- 
nedy, of Greencastle, Pa., and who died in 1849, he 
reared five children. Three of them, James, Mary 
and John C, are buried in the family plat at Oak- 
dale. The two survivors are the Captain and his 
brother Archie, a wholesale merchant in Colum- 
bus, Kansas, who served three years in the Tenth 
Missouri Volunteer Infantry. 




Capt. Hood attended the district school and the 
Sparta Union Academy. In 1859 he entered the 
Fayetteville, Pa., Academy, where he pursued his 
studies until the time of his enlistment in Company 
K, 126th Pennsylvania Volunteers, which were 
mustered in at Chambei'sburg, Pa., in 1861, he 
being in the senior class of the academy at the 
time. After serving nine months he re-enlisted in 
Company K, 21st Pennsylvania Cavalry, as ser- 
geant. Six months later he enlisted in Company 
G, of the same regiment. His term of service was 
about four years and three months, during which 
time he participated in many bloody fights from 
Bull Run to Appomattox, including the engage- 
ments at Antietam, Fredericksburg, Cold Harbor, 
Petersburg and the Wilderness, being from time 
to time promoted to various ranks until he attained 
that of Captain. He was discharged at Lynchburg, 
Va., July 18, 1865. He first engaged in mercantile 
business in New York in 1866 with T. Hastings as 
partner and two years later 
assumed the business alone. 
In 1869 he went to Andes 
and engaged in the general 
store business for about a 
year, buying the business of 
Connor & G 1 e n d e n n i n g . 
During the 16 j^ears he was 
in Andes W. D. Dunn and 
J. W. Dickson were part- 
ners part of the time. 
The Captain came to Delhi 
and entered into a general 
store business with one of 
the Bell Bros. In February, 
1892, behaving in the 
meantime bought the entire 
business, John A. Douglass 
was admitted as partner 
and under the firm name 
of Hood & Douglass a large 
business, one of the lead- 
ing of the county, was 
conducted until he was 
elected County Clerk. 

While living .in Andes 
the Captain was married 
to Miss Mary E. Norris, a 
native of New York City, 
December, 1875 



K. HOOD. 



Three 

children were the fruit of the union, John K., who 
died at four years of age, and Mary B. and Flor- 
ence Irene, both students at the Delhi Academy. 
Captain and Mrs. Hood are active workers in the 
Presbyterian church. They have a very pretty 
home on High street in an elevated section of the 
village. Capt. Hood served on the Republican 
County Committee for nine years, during three of 
which he was chairman. He has also served as 
president of the village and as chief of the fire de- 
partment, of which he is a member. He cast his 
first vote for Abraham Lincoln while at the front. 
He was instrumental in organizing England Post, 
of Delhi, of which he was formerly commander. 
As a member of the National Staff, he served as 
one of the Council of Administration of the Depart- 
ment of the State of New York. In 1889 he was 
elected to the position of Senior Vice Commander 
in this State, which is next to the highest oflSee. 
He has been delegate to state and national en- 
campments for several years, receiving the highest 
number of votes of any delegate on the national 
ticket as a delegate to the national encampment in 
Indianapolis. He is a member of Delhi Lodge, F. 
& A. M., No. 439. 



THE DELHI HISTORICAL SOUVENIR. 



15 



Delos H. Mackey, Member of Assembly from 
Delaware county, 1896 and 1897, is a resident of 
the town of Meredith, in which he owns 900 acres 
of as rich soil as there is in the county. He has a 
■large dairy of Jerseys and is a breeder of fine 
horses to a considerable extent, paying personal 
attention to their care and handling. He is secre- 
tary of the town insurance company. For eight 
years he was town clerk and two years supervisor. 
He was also postmaster for four years. He is 
quite active in town and county politics, having 
been a member of the county committee and a del- 
egate to state conventions. As a member of 
assembly Mr. Mackey has proven a zealous and 



erary Institute at Franklin. At the age of 21 years 
he opened a store at Meredith, with Chester Shaver 
as a partner. This continued four years. Later 
Mr. Mackey built a store where he was engaged in 
business for eight years. Since then he has devot- 
ed his time altogether to his farm property and 
stock. He married Jennie, the adopted daughter 
of Reuben Mackey. 

Howard Division, No. ii2, Sons of Temperance, 

of Delhi, was organized on September 22, 1891. 
W. A. Mcintosh was elected Worthy Patriarch, 
and the other officers chosen were : Worthy Asso- 
ciate, J. D. Schlafer; Recording Scribe, John A. 
Woodburn ; Treasurer, R. P. Mcintosh ; Financial 
Scribe, Charles McPhail. The Division is named 



#s?* 



L- 




DELOS H. MACKEY. 



tireless representative, and his service in the leg- 
islature of 1896 was fittingly recognized by return- 
ing him the following year, an honor rarely ac- 
corded a member of the legislature from Delaware 
county, and without precedent for twenty years. 
The first year of his election he received 6,488 
votes as against 3,495 given his opponent. Last 
year he received 7,761 and his opponent 4,450. In 
1896 he was a member of the committees on Vil- 
lages, Public Lands and Forestry, and Soldiers' 
Homes. In 1897 he was a member of Commerce 
. and Navigation, Agriculture, and Fisheries and 
Game. Mr. Mackey was born in Meredith April 7, 
1849. Nelson Mackey, his father, was a farmer 
who made a notable success. Betsey, the daugh- 
ter of Robert Crawford, was his wife. The subject 
of this sketch was educated in the Delaware Lit- 



in honor of the late Dr. Howard, of Delhi, who was 
a prominent temperance worker, having been the 
organizer and was at the head of a band of young 
people of Delhi, who were known as the "Cold 
Water Army." Annually he took them for a pic- 
nic to "Spring Rock," a short distance from this 
village. They meet on every Monday evening in 
pleasant rooms on the third floor of the Page 
Block, on Main street, and have a membership of 60. 
The present officers are : Worthy Patriarch, 
Charles Stein ; Worthy Associate, James Williams ; 
Recording Scribe, John W. Bradj^ ; Assistant Re- 
cording Scribe, Harrj- Mcintosh ; Financial Scribe, 
Thomas Hughes ; Treasurer, John A. Woodburn ; 
Chaplain, F. H. Shevalier; Conductor, John T. 
Stewart ; Assistant Conductor, M. Meehan ; Inside 
Sentinel, Thomas Manuion ; Outside Sentinel, Wil- 
liam Ward ; Past Worthy Patriarch, G. C. Husted. 



16 



THE DELHI HISTORICAL SOtJVENlB. /^^^ 



John A. Parshall, of Delhi, is a well known vet- 
eran printer, one whose record for continuous serv- 
ice in one establishment it is doubtful if any living 
printer can equal. Mr. Parshall was born on Sep- 
tember 25, 1818, near Cooperstown, Otsego Co., 
N. y. In the latter pai-t of February, 1835, he 
entered the office of the Otsego Eepublican, at 
Cooperstown, as the devil of the office. He re- 
mained there until September, 1838, when he ac- 
cepted a position in the small book office of 
Sackett & Adams, on Gold street, in New York 
City, Avhere he remained for about two weeks. 

On October 17, 1838, he commenced work in the 
office of the Delaware Gazette, at Delhi, and has 
been there continuously ever since. The office is 



he attended the funeral of Mr. B., and wrote and 
set up his obituary notice ; but the most remarka- 
ble fact of all was that all of these notices were 
written and set up by Mr. Parshall in a building 
which Mr. B. assisted in raising in the summer of 
1837. 

In 1841 Mr. Parshall became a member of Phenix 
Hand Engine Company, of Delhi, serving three 
years, and he was the first clerk of the Delhi Fire 
Department, serving four years. In May, 1844, he 
was elected a village trustee, and has served 31 
years and six months as a trustee, president, clerk 
and one of the board of health. There is now liv- 
ing but one trustee who was elected previous to 
1844, besides Mr. Parshall. He has annually been 
elected a school district officer since January, 1866. 
On March 30, 1898, he will have served 24 years 
as a Notary Public for Delaware County. 

He has been nine years a trustee of the Second 




SOUTHWESTERN VIEW OF DELHI 



in the same building and his case has been at the 
same window for over 56 years. He has frequently 
set up the notice of the golden wedding of parties 
for whom he had put in type the original marriage 
notice fifty years before. In February, 1841, he 
set up the marriage notice of a couple in Delhi 
and in February, 1891, he set up their golden wed- 
ding notice (having attended the same and written 
the account thereof), using the same composing 
stick in which he set up their marriage notice. 

A remarkable and noteworthy coincidence in Mr. 
Parshall's long service is the fact that in February, 
1839, he set up the notice of the marriage of Miss 
L. to Mr. B. ; in February, 1889, he wrote and set 
up a notice of their golden wedding ; in May, 1891, 
he attended the funeral of Mrs. B. and wrote and 
set up the obituary notice ; in August, 1893, he 
wrote and set up an account of the marriage of a 
grand-daughter of this couple; in October, 1893, 



Presbyterian Church. Three times he was elected 
town auditor and in February, 1895, was elected 
an excise commissioner of Delhi. His first vote 
was cast in 1839 and he has never missed casting a 
fall election or town meeting vote since. 

Mr. Parshall was married on June 4, 1844, 
to Miss Juliette Thurber, and began house- 
keeping in April, 1847, and remained in the 
same house until April, 1895. He was elected 
a member of Delaware Lodge, No. 265, I. O. O. F., 
at its organization on March 2, 1847, and of the 
six charter members and fifteen who were initiated 
that evening he is the only one surviving and is now 
an active member, being Chaplain of Delhi Lodge, 
No. 625, I. 0. O. F. He was chosen Historian for 
the town of Delhi for the Centennial Celebration 
this year. 

The compilers of this Souvenir are under obliga- 
tions to Mr. Parshall for valuable data. 



THE DELHI HISTORICAL SOUVENIR. 



17 



A BIRDSEYE OF THE COUNTY. 



ELAWARE County is one of the most mount- 
ainous of tiiose counties wliieii are regarded 
as good sections for tlie pi'oduction of staple crops 
generally. Yet it is notably a dairy county, the 
richest and highest priced butter being produced 
in quantities second only to the production of 
Oneida county. Cheese making is an important 
industry. Other extensive productions are fruit, 
oats, potatoes, rye and lumber. 

The water power is abundant and but little im- 
proved; although affording excellent opportunity 
for manufacturing. At one time leather and cloths 
were manufactured to a considerable extent and 
lumbering was largely carried on. 

The soil is varied and very productive. On the 



The Rivers. — There is no better watered county 
in the state, the rivers and creeks flowing in 
abundance the year around during dry as well as 
wet seasons, fed by numerous tributaries which 
rise in innumerable springs on the mountains and 
in the valleys. A pure, cold and unfailing supply 
of water for the stock is as important as luxuriant 
pastures in contributing to the rich and abundant 
yield of milk. 

The Susquehanna bounds the county on the 
north-west for about the distance of twenty miles, 
bordering the town of Sidney. Its principal tribu- 
taries in Delaware county are the Charlotte river 
rising in Schoharie and Greene counties, which 
flows through the town of Davenport, and the 
Ouleout creek which rises in Meredith and flowing 
through the greater part of that town and through 
the towns of Franklin and Sidney empties into the 
Susquehanna near the village of Unadilla, Otsego 
county. 




DELHI, LOOKING NORTH-EAST. 



hills it is sandy loam and in the valleys a rich 
deep mould of lasting fertility. 

The mountains are densely timbered with beech, 
birch, maple, ash, elm, basswood, pine, wild cherry, 
butternut, hemlock and small quantities of oak. 

The surface rock of the county is the old red 
sandstone of the Catskill group underlaid by the 
shales and sandstone of the Portage and Chemung 
groups. A large quarry on the spur of the mount- 
ains in the lower end of the town of Hamden, near 
the village of that name produces considerable flag 
of a fine quality which is quarried in very large 
pieces with a remarkable uniformity of thickness. 
During the early period of settlement bog iron ore 
was discovered but has never been utilized. Cop- 
per has been found but in small quantity and so 
extensively diffused as to offer no opportunity for 
mining. 

There are several mineral springs, so scattered 
and with a supply so limited as to attract no par- 
ticular attention. A brine spring near Delhi was 
discovered many years ago but never utilized. 



The Mohawks or main branch of the Delaware 
river rises in Schoharie county, running thence in 
a south-westerly direction nearly seventy miles 
through the center of the county to the village of 
Deposit, where it takes a south-easterly course 
forming the boundary line between the towns of 
Tompkins and Hancock and the state of Pennsyl- 
vania. The course of this river in Delaware 
county is between the town of Stamford on the 
south and Harpersfield and Kortright opposite and 
through the towns of Delhi, Hamden, "Walton and 
Tompkins. The principal feeders are Elk creek, 
Steele's brook and the Little Delaware. The 
Mohawks is the local name of the Delaware above 
the village of Deposit. 

The Papachton, or East branch, rising in two 
streams, the main source in Ulster county and the 
other in the town of Roxbur", flows through the 
towns of Middletown, Andes, Colchester and Han- 
cock, emptying into the Delaware near the village 
of Hancock, sixty-five miles from its main source. 
The principal feeder is Big Beaverkill, with sources 
in Ulster and Sullivan counties, flowing through 



18 



THE DELHI HISTOEICAL SOUVENIR. 



the valley which separates the Blue and Pine 
mountain groups in the town of Colchester. 

The Mountains. — There are three distinct par- 
allel mountain ranges passing through the county 
trending south-west by north-east, and more largely 
grouping, in the western and southern tiers of 
towns. The Blue Mountains comprise the group 
forming the south-western section of the three 
ranges, embracing the southern and western parts 
of Franklin and the towns of Walton, Sidney, 
Tompkins, Hancock, Hamden, Masonville and the 
north-western part of Colchester. 

The Kaatsberg comprise a lofty group spreading 
over the town of Meredith and the northern and 
eastern sections of Franklin and ranging in low 
parallel ridges through the towns of Bovina, Kort- 
right, Davenport, Harpersfield, the principal part 
of Delhi and Stamford. This group extends along 
both sides of the Mohawks or west branch of the 
Delaware river, en- 
closing the village of 
Delhi Avhere it ter- 
minates on the south 
side of the river in 
Crawford and Scotch 
peaks and on the 
north side in Sher- 
wood Summit. The 
Kaatsberg is a spur 
of the Catskills 
forming a tongue 
extending nearly at 
right angles with 
the latter to the 
Susquehanna river 
on the west and 
receding in altitude 
along the south 
shore of that river 
for several miles east 
of Oneonta. 

The P ne Mount- 
ains cover the south- 
eastern end of the 
town of Colchester 
and extend eastward 
through the towns 
of Andes, Middle- 
town and Roxbury. 

Abram C. Crosby, a leading lawyer of Delaware 
County, was authorized to procure speakers for 
the Centennial Celebration of the organi2;ation of 
said county, which was held at Delhi, June 9, 10, 
1897, and he succeeded in securing the services of 
a number of distinguished men for that occasion. 
He was chosen president for the first day of the 
celebration and delivered the address of welcome. 

He was district attorney of Delaware County in 
the years 1878-80. He was supervisor of the town 
of Delhi in 1882, continued to discharge the 
duties of that office for four successive terins, and 
during the years 1884-5. was Chairman of the 
Board of Supervisors of Delaware County. 

He was a prominent member of the sixth New 
York State Constitutional Convention, which con- 
vened in Albany on the eighth day of May, 1894, 
representing the twenty-fifth senatorial district of 
the state, and was a member of the following 
named standing committees : On the Legislature — 




ABRAM C. CROSBY. 



Its Organization and the Number, Apportionment, 
Election, Tenure of Office and Compensation of its 
Members ; State Prisons and Penitentiaries and 
the Prevention and Punishment of Crime; and 
Privileges and Elections. 

During the session of the convention he devoted 
his attention specially to the questions of legisla- 
tive organization and apportionment and was one 
of the three members of a sub-committee who pro- 
posed the plan of division of the state into senate 
districts and the rules regulating the formation of 
the assembly districts, which were afterward 
adopted by the convention. 

Prominent among his speeches on the floor of 
the convention may be mentioned his ai-gument in 
favor of the jsroposition against prison contract 
labor, on August 25 ; his speech in support of an 
amendment providing for an absolute right of 
appeal to the Court of Appeals by a defendant sen- 
tenced to imprisonment for life, made on August 
22 ; his opposition to a proposition providing for 
the sale of the Salt Springs of the state without 

proper legislative 
investigation and 
restriction, and his 
strenuous flght 
against the civil ser- 
vice amendment. 

Politically he has 
been an earnest 
Republican, taking 
an active interest in 
public affairs, serv- 
ing for several years 
on the state and 
county committees 
of his party and as 
a campaign speaker 
for a quarter of a 
century earnestly 
and zealously up- 
holding the prin- 
ciples of his party. 

Mr. Crosby was 
born in Roxbury, 
Delaware C o u n t y, 
New York, May 25, 
1847. He was educa- 
ted in the common 
schools, the Roxbury 
Academy, the Dela- 
ware Literary Insti- 
tute at Franklin and 
Cornell University. While a law student he was 
appointed clerk to the Surrogate's Court of his 
county and discharged the duties of that position 
for two years. He was admitted to the bar in 
March, 1872, and has since devoted himself to the 
practice of his profession in Delhi where he now 
resides. 

He married Jennie C, daughter of John Hutson, 
of Delhi, on March 16, 1875. They have three 
children. Julia, Grace and Howard, who are all 
attending school. 



The flrst court house stood in the center of the 
present court house square. George Fisher and 
Levi Baxter donated the plat from their farms. 
On June 18, 1812, the legislature authorized the 
court house to be used as a tavern. On April 17, 
1820, the building was burned. A Jail and a court 
house were built the same year. The new court 
house was dedicated January 30, 1871. The pres- 
ent county clerk's office was built in 1878 but not 
occupied till April, 1879. 

Dr. J. H. Brett was the first and presiding judge 
in the county. 



THE DELHI HISTORICAL SOUVENIR. 



19 



Prof. Willis D. Graves was born in Bainbridge, 
Chenango County, N. Y., August 18, 1856. Gay- 
lord S. Graves, his father, was descended from 
English ancestors who came to tliis country about 
1637 and settled in New England. For over 
forty years he was a successful merchant in Bain- 
bridge. His wife was Harriet E. Bettys. Prof. 
Graves was educated in the public schools ; also 
in the Afton and Bainbridge academies. He was 
graduated from the Albany normal school in 
June, 1879. For six years he was the principal of 
the Bainbridge Union School and Academy. In 
1885 he came to Delhi and leased the Academy, 
conducting the school in a manner that raised it 
to one of the leading educational institutions in 
the state. Having the selection of the staff of 
teachers he procured the ablest instructors that 
could be obtained ; men and women who under- 
stood the best methods of teaching. In April, 
1897, he was appointed 
Inspector of the Train- 
ing Classes of this 
state by Superinten- 
dent Skinner, of the 
Department of Public 
Instruction, his ap- 
pointment being urged 
by leading men. The 
Professor has given 
particular attention 
to mathematics, 
science and training 
class work and he is 
especially fitted for 
the important posi- 
tion in which he has 
been placed. It is an 
important post and 
the selection was in 
accord with the policy 
of the department, 
seeking men who 
have been identified 
with public education 
all their lives. In 1880 
Prof. Graves married 
Miss Elizabeth M. Rex- 
ford, a graduate of Vassar College in the class of 
1877. She is a member of the faculty, the instruc- 
tor in Latin and German. Mr. and Mrs. Graves are 
members of the Second Presbyterian Church, in 
the welfare of which they are earnestly interested. 
They have one child, Gaylord W. Graves, born 
January 25, 1884. 

Henry W. Cannon's Early Career. — When the 
First National Bank of Delhi was established we 
are unable to state, but think it must have been in 
the early part of 1863 ; neither can we give its first 
board of directors, and when it voluntarily ceased. 
James H. Graham was its president, and George 
E. Marvine its cashier. The building now occu- 
pied by "W. Winter as a drug store was built espe- 
cially for it. In this bank Hon. Henry W. Cannon 
first entered upon his successful career as a banker, 
being employed therein as a clerk. He afterward 
went to St. Paul in his uncle's bank, the late E. S. 
Edgerton ; from there to Stillwater ; from there to 
Washington, to accept the position of Comptroller 




PROF. WILLIS D. GRAVES 



of the Currency offered him, and afterward accepted 
the presidency of the Chase National Bank of New 
York City. 

The Delhi Telephone Company — Officers : Pres- 
ident, S. F. Adee ; Vice-President, Henry D. Craw- 
ford ; Secretary, H. S. Graham ; Treasurer, W. I. 
Mason. This company leases about 200 telephones 
in the village and vicinity, which is an unusually 
large number for so small a place. Several farm- 
ers are among the subscribers, having the 'phone 
in their farm houses. The exchange is maintained 
in the store of Gladstone & Paine, where the long 
distance lines connect Delhi with the rest of the 
world. 

The Drives. — Few counties which are not wholly 
within mountainous sections offer such grand and 
inspiring drives as Delaware. Take Delhi as a 
center and the roads that radiate from that point 
are noted for the scenic views that are presented 
on all sides. At every turn of the road a picture 
as sublime as nature 
alone portrays ap- 
pears to view, excit- 
ing unbounded, ad- 
miration. Eight miles 
of easy traveling 
along the Delaware 
river connects Delhi, 
the terminus of the 
New York, Ontario & 
Western railway with 
Bloomville, the term- 
inus of the Ulster & 
Delaware railway. 
The driv<> to Walton, 
following the river in 
the opposite directicm 
is through a valley 
and along a very level 
road. But the grand- 
eur of mountains ;iiid 
vallt^ys is more than 
pen can describe (m 
the drive between 
Delhi and Andes. 
The road ascends 
and descends but 
there are no long heavy hills. This distance is 
thirteen miles. The drive to Oneonta, nineteen 
miles, is over the summit of a high range of hills, 
ascending gradually to Meredith Square, six miles, 
and when within three miles of Oneonta desending 
a long and steep hill, but over a good road. 

The Gerry Place — On the road from Delhi to 
Andes, seven miles from the former village, is the 
summer residence of Elbridge T. Gerry, the dis- 
tinguished head of the society which does so much 
for the care and protection of children, commonly 
known as the Gerry Society. This remarkable and 
romantic country estate takes in both the primi- 
tive forest lands and highly cultivated acres. It 
stretches for miles over valleys and mountains and 
embraces swiftly flowing streams, (!rystal springs 
and a magnificent body of water known as Lake 
Delaware. Mr. Gerry is a liberal entertainer and 
many of his friends have whiled away hours 
fraught with enjoyment at his beautiful summer 
home. 



20 



THE DELHI HISTOEICAL SOUVENIE. 



THE DELAWARE ACADEMY. 



yWHE Delaware Academy, one of the oldest educa- 
-^ tional institutions in the state, is delightfully 
situated on an eminence in the western end of the 
village overlooking the town and valley, with the 
river winding around two sides of the base of the 
terrace upon which the buildings stand. The 
campus is one of the prettiest stretches of level, 
velvety greensward that can be found anywhere. 
It is shaded by over 150 gigantic trees. The 
grounds, comprising ball, tennis and croquet fields, 
include twenty acres purchased in 1856. The 
school was originally located on the public square 
but had outgrown its accommodations. The busi- 
ness was constantly expanding; the reputation 



every room. The ladies' and gentlemen's quarters 
are in separate parts of the building. It contains 
music rooms, parlors, office, reception rooms, bath 
rooms and every convenience. It has a complete 
provision for flooding any room at a moment's no- 
tice in case of fire. The water used comes from a 
private spring situated on the mountain. 

The number of students at the hall is not large 
enough to destroy the quiet of home life. The 
faculty and students constitute one family, all in- 
terested in one another. Every evening during 
study hours teachers are accessible to students 
and seldom does an evening pass when the office 
of the principal and the rooms of the teachers are 
not frequented by students desiring to be assisted 
in their studies. The health of the students is 
carefully watched. 




THE ACADEMY BUILDING. 



was reaching out and large numbers of scholars 
were coming in everj' year. 

The Academy building is a high, square sti-uc- 
ture in plain white with a broad veranda across the 
front, relieved by a row of towering columns sup- 
porting a gable. The rooms and halls are large 
and airy and all the comforts of a modern school 
building together with the features of a colonial 
structure are obtained. Near the academy build- 
ing stands the boarding hall with the best accom- 
modations and all the comforts of home. 

The academy building contains the chapel, study 
and recitation rooms, drawing room, library, chem- 
ical and physical laboratory, society hall and gym- 
nasium. It is heated by the Gurney hot water 
system, has solid slate blackboards and modern 
furniture. The boarding hall accommodates fifty 
students and the faculty. It is heated throughout 
with the hot water system and has a radiator in 



The library contains 2,300 volumes consisting of 
the latest works of reference, historical and scien- 
tific works and standard literature. 

The laboratory contains the latest and most im- 
proved physical and chemical apparatus, Ward's 
collection of rocks and minerals and much valuable 
apparatus for teaching Astronomy, Natural His- 
tory, Physiology, Geography and Mathematics. A 
representative of the Eegents of the University of 
the State of New York who inspected the labora- 
tory valued it at $1,200. 

The school also possesses maps, charts, globes, 
a sciopticon and a thoroughly equipped gymnasium. 

Conducted by private enterprise it offers the best 
facilities of a high class private school. The fac- 
ulty comprises the best instructors that can be 
obtained. 

The graduates of this school include many who 
have taken the highest honors in the leading col- 
leges in the country. 

One of the students fully prepared at this acad- 
emy recently took the Learned Scholarship at Yale 
College valued at |600, graduating the youngest 



THE DELHI HISTOEICAL SOUVENIR. 



21 



mau iu his class. The academy prepares many 
students for teaching and has had over sixty grad- 
uates teaching in Delaware county. The number 
of diplomas granted by the Eegents of the Uni- 
versity to this academy exceed the average num- 
ber granted to similar schools with the same 
attendance. 

During the single year ending June 1, 1896, the 
academy sent graduates to Yale, Vassar, Columbia, 
Princeton, Union, Hamilton, St. Stephen's, La 
Fayette, Westminster, Oberlin and Geneva col- 
leges ; the University of Chicago and Cornell and 
Colgate universities. This is a record to be proud 
of. That year the students to the academy came 
from four different states, eight counties of the 
state and twenty-six places of residence. 

The Faculty. 
WILLIS D. GEAVES, Prin., Natural Science, 

ELIZABETH M. GEAVES, A. B., Latin, German, 
Literature. 



ville May 26, 1866. On August 22, 1866, the route 
decided upon was through Middletown, Eoxbury, 
Stamford, Hari^ersfield, Kortright and Davenport. 
In June, 1875, the railroad having been constructed 
as far as Stamford, the company assumed the title 
of the Ulster & Delaware Company. 

The survey of the Delhi branch of the N. Y., O. 
& W. railway' was completed in October, 1868. 
Ground was broken near Hamden May 4, 1869. 

Eegular trains on the main line began running 
from Sidney Plains to Oswego in the middle of 
June, 1870. November 6, 1871, the road was com- 
pleted to Walton. 

The road was completed to Delhi January 18, 
1872. A few hours after the last rail was laid the 
officers arrived on a special train. Cannon were 
fired and a public meeting was held. Dinner was 
served at Cottrell's Hotel. 




ACADEMY BOARDING HALL. 



GEOEGE J. DANN, A. B., Greek, French, His- 
tory. 

AGNES AEBUCKLE, A. B., German, English, 
Mathematics. 

HENEY A. GATES, M. D., Physiology and Hy- 
giene. 

MAEY E. CHAMPION, Preparatory and Primary. 

ANNA M. PEESTON, Vocal and Instrumental 
Music. 

JENNIE FULLEE, Drawing and Oil Painting. 

AUGUSTA A. HUGHSTON, Elocution. 

The Railroads. — The first survey for the Ulster 
& Delaware railroad was made in 1853. On Octo- 
ber 4, 1865, a meeting was held in Delhi to project 
a road west from the Hudson. The next day 
they elected a board of directors for a company to 
build a road from Eondout to Oneonta. The board 
was O. M. Allaben of Margaretville, Henry Dowie 
of Andes, and C. H. Bell and William Youmans jr. 
of Delhi. Another meeting was held at Margaret- 



The Delhi branch is one of the best paying sec- 
tions of the road to-day. During the summer 
there is a large travel of summer pleasure seekers. 

Delhi is a feeder for a wide stretch of country. 
The shipments of merchandise is very large and 
the town is a popular point for the commercial 
traveler, the hotel facilities being better than in 
the average town which is much larger, there 
being four good hotels. 

The average tonnage of shipment to Delhi in- 
cluding all class of goods except coal is three 
millions pounds monthly. The shipment from this 
station of milk averages" 30,000 quarts daily. Large 
quantities of eggs and cheese are shipped from 
Delhi. 

The station agent is C. H. Mullock. His assist- 
ant and the operator is N. B. Cormaek. The bag- 
gage agent is George Person ; his assistant is 
Daniel Franklin, jr. 

The first court comprised Patrick Lamb, William 
Horton, Gabriel North, Isaac Hardenburgh, Alex- 
ander Leal. 



22 



THE DELHI HISTOEICAL SOUVENIK. 



Col. Robert P. Cormack, the postmaster of 
Delhi, is prominent in G. A. E. circles and an 
active worker in the Democratic party, having 
served as Commander of England Post, 142, G. A. 
E. , and as Chairman of the Democratic County 
Committee for several years. He was president of 
the village at one time and chief of the fire depart- 
ment for successive terms. In 1878 he represented 
the county of Delaware in Ihe Assembly. He was 
appointed Postmaster by President Cleveland De- 
cember 11, 1895, and his service in that office gives 
general satisfaction. He is also a member of Delhi 
Lodge, No. 439, F. & A. M. He was born in the 
town of Forfar, Scotland, November 1, 1829. His 
parents came to this country when he was three 
years of age and settled in Delaware county fifty- 
three years ago. At the age of 14 years he was 
apprenticed at shoe making in which trade he 
worked seven years. When 20 years old he went 
io California where 
he remained six 
years, when he re- 
turned to this county 
and has since lived 
in Delhi. On June 3, 
1857, he married 
Elizabeth Woollerton 
of Delhi, by whom 
there were four 
children, Fannie 
who died at the age 
of five, Charles F. of 
San Francisco, Nel- 
son B. at the depot, 
and Mrs. Lillaee S. 
Gordon. 

Col. Cormack 
served in the war 
against the rebelli- 
ous South for three 
years and four 
months, almost to 
a^ day, enlisting in 
the 89th regiment. 
New York Volunteer Infantry at Delhi, Sept. 16, 
1861, and being mustered out in the field in Vir- 
ginia, Jan. 17, 1865. The Colonel was wounded in 
the head at Chapin's farm and treated in the 
hospital near Old Point Comfort. When permitted 
to leave he reported direct at his post and in time 
to receive an honorable dis(iharge with the rest of 
the regiment. He was never absent from his 
place in line except by authority and was in the 
heat of manj^ battles. On going to the front as a 
private he was chosen 1st lieutenant of his com- 
pany (Co. I) at Elmira. From that he was ad- 
vanced by promotion to Captain of Companj^ A, 
wearing the two-barred epaulets more than a year 
and a half. Upon his return home at the close of 
the war he was chosen Colonel of the 100th Eeg. 
N. G. S. N. Y. which position he occupied until the 
reorganization of the State Guard when several 
regiments were disbanded including that of Col. 
Cormack's. The 89th regiment under Col. Har- 




COL. ROBERT P. CORMACK. 



rison Fairchild served in the 1st Brig.. 3d Division, 
9th Corps, later in South Carolina and then in the 
1st Brig., 2nd Division, 10th Coi'ps, army of the 
James, participating in the following engage- 
ments : South Mountain, Md., September 14, '62 
Antietam, September 17, '62 ; Fredericksburg, Va. 
December 13, '62; Siege of Suffolk, April 11 
May 4, '63; Bombardment of Ft. Sumter, S. C. 
Aug. 17-23, Oct. 27, Nov. 9, '63 ; Operations against 
Petersburg and Eichmond, Va., May 5-31, '64 
Swift Creek, Va., May 9-10, '64; Proctor's Creek, 
May 12, '64 ; Drewry's Bluff, May 14-16, '64 ; Ber- 
muda Hundred, May 18-20, '64; Cold Harbor, June 
1-12, '64; Petersburg, June 15-19, '64; Chapin's 
Farm, Sept. 29-30, '64 ; Fair Oaks, Oct. 27-29, '64 ; 
Fall of Petersburg, April 2, '65 : Eice's Station, 
April 6, '65 ; Bui'ke's Station, April 7, '65 ; Appo- 
mattox C. H., April 9, '65. 

The Delaware County Agricultural Society was 

located on grounds adjacent the river in the east 
end of the village in 1872, at which time the County 

society was merged 
with the Delhi Agri- 
cultural and Mechan- 
ics' Society. The 
latter was organized 
March 8, 1862. Its 
first officers were : 
President, Edmund 
E o s e ; Vice-Presi- 
dent, P. H. Beards- 
ley ; Secretary, Nor- 
wood Bowne ; Treas- 
urer, Anthony M. 
Paine ; Directors, D. 
G. Landon, L. G. 
HoUister, Alexander 
M a b 1 e , A. Cook- 
Edgerton and C. 
Allen Frost. The 
present officers are : 
P r e s i d e n t , W. H. 
Fisher; Vice-Pres., 
Thomas D. Middle- 
mast; Sec'y, E. P. 
Mcintosh ; Treas.,W. 
D. Smith ; Directors, Eobert J. Blair, C. S. Wood- 
ruff, E. E. Bell, John B. Mable, Stewart Hymers, 
Edward Johnson ; General Superintendent, D. L. 
Wight; Assistant General Superintendent, D. W. 
Shaw ; Superintendent of Police, W. J. Humphries ; 
Superintendent of Cattle, J. M. McFarlane ; Super- 
intendent of Horses, J. C. Stoddart; Superintend- 
ent of Sheep and Swine, H. H. Hume; Superin- 
tendent of Poultry, J. S. McMurdy ; Superintendent 
of Fruit and Vegetables, E. J. Brownell ; Superin- 
tendent of Farm Implements, William McMuUin ; 
Discretionary, E. E. Bell ; Superintendent of But- 
ter and Cheese, J. B. Mable ; Superintendent Ladies' 
Department, Mrs. H. C. Dann ; Superintendent 
Girls' Department, Mrs. S. C. Simmons; Superin- 
tendent Floral Department, Mrs. John M. Thomp- 
son ; Secretary of the Ladies' Department, Miss S. 
J. McMullin. 



The original poor-house was burned July 13, 
1862. Mary Jane Decker, of Middletown, and 
Phebe Every, of Kortright, perished. 



THE DELHI HISTOEICAL SOUVENIR. 



23 




WILLIAM C. PORTER. 

William C. Porter, the Sheriff of Delaware just 
closing his term, will retire from that position on 
Dee. 31 of this year with a good record in official 
life and with the credit of having served as the 
Sheriff during the Centennial year. For eight years 
he was Deputy Sheriff and when elected was fully 
informed as to the requirements of the office. For 
several years he was engaged in the harness 
business, in which he made an extended circle of 
acquaintances. He is a member of the Schenevus 
lodge, F. & A. M. , and was active in affairs of the 
lodge until he became Sheriff, when his removal to 
Delhi took him away from that locality. Mr. Por- 
ter was born in Davenport, June 2, 1855. His 
father was a farmer in the town of Davenport in 
which he was a resident for over fifty years. Mr. 
Porter attended the district school at Davenport. 
In the year 1879 he went to Oneonta to learn the 
harness trade and in Feb. 1881 he opened a shop 
in Hamden, where he remained until about 1886, 
when he went into the store of John L. Beardsley, 
at Davenport. Two or three years later he en- 
gaged in the harness business until after his elec- 
tion as Sheriff in the fall of 1894, when he sold out 
the business. He was nominated at the County 
Convention held Sept. 15, of that year, after a pro- 
tracted and bitter contest in which there were 
several candidates, and after more than forty bal- 
lots had been taken. The office of Sheriff is the 
only pubic position Mr. Porter has sought or held, 
although an active worker in the Eepublican 
pai'ty. On April 24, 1888 he was married to Miss 
Dora Beardsley, at Davenport, by which union 
they have one boy named Harry B., who was born 
in 1891. Mr. Porter's father and mother, highly 
respected residents of the town of Davenport, 
their home for so many years, are still living, both 
well advanced in years and enjoying good health. 
Mrs. Porter is the daughter of J. L. Beardsley, a 
well-known Davenport merchant for many years 



with an honorable record in his dealings 
with all, who now is an extensive farmer 
and a large dealer in live stock. 

The Delhi Novelty Club is an association 
of charming young ladies who meet even- 
ings once a week for improvement of the 
mind and social enjoyment, a programme 
of literary and musical selections being 
provided. The young ladies are loyal to 
the club and take great interest in making 
it a profitable form of evening entertain- 
ment. Each member is provided with a 
club badge, a neat little pin — and what do 
you suppose is the design? A four leaf 
clover ! The club was organized July 21, 
1896. The membershii), at the limit is as 
follows : Julia Crosby, Elizabeth Hutson, 
Harriet Harris, Flora Knapp, Maggie Boyd, 
Margaret Oliver, Anna Patterson, Jennie 
Arbuekle, Carrie Peters, Elizabeth Clark, 
Pauline Farrington, Helen Stilson, May Tel- 
ford, May Fisher, Jennie Clark. 

General Erastus Root settled in Delhi in 
1796, coming originally from Connecticut. 
He was active in securing the formation of 
the County of Delaware. He died in Decem- 
ber, 1846, in New York City while on his way to 
visit a daughter, Mrs. Hobbie, at Washington. 

J. J. Burke, the present Chief Engineer of the 
Delhi Fire Department, became a member of Active 
Hose Company, No. 5, in 1892. He served as Fore- 
man of that Company in 1893-4 and as Assistant 
Chief Engineer of the Department in 1895-6. He 
is Senior Warden of Delhi Lodge, F. & A. M., and a 
prominent worker in both Masonic and Fire De- 
partment circles. Mr. Burke was born on Febru- 
ary 27, 1865, at Powelsburg, West Virginia, and lo- 
cated here in 1886 engaging in Lis business as a 
merchant tailor. He moved to Watertown, N. Y., 
in 1889 and returning to Delhi in 1891 started in 




JOHN J. BURKE. 
business as a merchant tailor for himself in the 
Bell Block. In 1895 he was compelled to move to 
his present location by increasing business and 
now occupies all of the second floor of the "Dela- 
ware Express " Block. Mr. Burke's work has gained 
for him an excellent reputation as a flrst-elass 
merchant tailor. He was married on October 14, 
1891, to Miss Estelle Stoutenburg, of Delhi, and 
has one daughter. On June 9, lh97, a Delaware 
County Firemen's Association was formed at Delhi 
and Mr. Burke was elected first President. 



24 



THEj'DELHl HISTOKICAL SOUVENIR. 



England Relief Corps, No. 187, was organized 
December 31, 1895, with 42 charter members. 
While the Corps has lost members since then 
largely owing to removal from town, the interest 
shown in its welfare and its material aid and com- 
fort to the Post to which it is attached are fea- 
tures which make it an organization of which its 
members may well be proud. On the institution 
of the Corps the following officers were elected : 
President, Mrs. Josephine A. Camp ; Senior Vice- 
President, Mrs. Mary E. Hood ; Junior Vice-Presi- 
dent, Mrs. Matilda T. Paul ; Chaplain, Mrs. Sarah 
E. Gordon ; Treasurer, Miss Isabella K. Penfield ; 
Secretaiy, Mrs. Annie W. Fisher ; Conductor, Mrs. 
Stelle Burke; Assistant Conductor, Miss Lizzie 
Gordon ; Guard, Miss Anna E. Harper ; Assistant 
Guard, Miss Jessie L. Williamson ; Delegate, Mrs. 
Mai-y E. Hood ; Alternate, Mrs. Mary S. Penfield. 
The Corps meets every second Tuesday evening. 



Anti-Masonic excitement when the lodge was broken 
up. In February, 1833, it was occupied by F. A. 
Ferguson as a temperance hotel. In February, 
1834, J. P. Flower bought it of G. H. Edgerton, 
and it has been occupied as a hotel ever since. 

Sons of Temperance. — The first division of the 
Sons of Temperance in Delhi was Delhi Division, 
No. 180. Its charter is dated September 22, 1846. 
Its charter members were N. Bowne, M. S. Cannon, 
Ferris Jacobs, Jabez P. Meigs, Theo. L. Schell, E. 
S. Edgerton, P. P. Wright, Jas. E. AUaben, Jas. H. 
Wright, Charles Hinckley. 

Delhi Chapter, No. 240, R. A. M., meets on the 
second and fourth Wednesday of each month in 
their rooms on the third floor of the Page Block 
and has a membership of about sixty. The offi- 
cers for 1897 are: M. E. H. P., W. G. Edgerton; 
E. K., J. E. Honeywell; E. S., M. 0. Landon ; 
Treasurer, W. E. Bill ; Secretary, George A. Paine ; 



^^^^B^SBS^M^slSBB^K^^^^^^-^'^^^^^-^i<^^^^^ 




'*' " ■ ■ " ""'^■"-'^.■' ■ ' '. . " ~". , "-'vVr-^^S 




_^k-^' ,^:§^ M -^-^ffg^aaa^ 1' liiill 



ACADEMY CAMPUS. 



The present officers are : President, Mrs. Mary E. 
Hood ; Senior Vice-President, Mrs. Matilda T. 
Paul; Junior Vice-President, Mrs. Alice L. Fair- 
burn ; Treasurer, Miss Isabella K. Penfield ; Sec- 
retary, Mrs. Anna W. Fisher ; Chaplain. Mrs. Sarah 
E. Williamson ; Conductor, Mrs. Stelle Burke ; As- 
sistant Conductor, Mrs. Mary Dann ; Guard, Miss 
Lydia Page ; Assistant Guard, Miss Alta Smith ; 
Delegate, Mrs. Anna W. Fisher; Alternate, Mrs. 
Mary MeCall. 

Cassia Lodge, No. 180, F. & A. M.— The first 
Masonic Lodge instituted in Delhi was Cassia 
Lodge, No. 180, and the warrant issued therefor is 
dated March 1, 1809. DeWitt Clinton was Grand 
Master, Erastus Root was Master, Ambrose Bryan 
Senior Warden, Elnathan Heath, Junior Warden. 
On August 27, 1825, the corner stone for a Lodge 
was laid in the village, upon which occasion the 
Rev. Stephen Feun delivered a sermon at the court 
house, before a large audience. The hall was a 
part of the now Kingston Hotel. How long it was 
used we do not know, probably not long after the 



C. H., Howard Bell; P. S., W. J. Humphries; R. 

A. C, J. B. Fairburn; M. 3d V., C. S. Woodruff; 
M. 2d v., R. P. Mcintosh ; M. 1st V., W. Ormiston ; 
Organist, George A. Paine ; Sentinel, William Ward. 

The First Presbyterian Church. — The origin of 
this church carries us back to the beginning of the 
present century. It was organized in September, 
1805, by the Rev. William McAuly, of Kortright 
Centre, assisted by Elders Judge Leal and Thomas 
Simpson. This was the first church organized in 
Delhi, and for many years was the only church in 
the town. It naturally at first covered a wide 
territory and drew its supporters from the towns 
of Meredith and Hamden, as well as of Delhi. The 
church has had the ministry of five pastors — the 
Revs. Ebenezer H. Maxwell, James McEwen, Peter 

B. Heroy, Charles B. Smyth and James H. Robin- 
son, D. D. Thirty -three members have been 
elected and ordained to the office of Ruling Elders 



THE DELHI HISTOEICAL SOUVENIR. 



25 



for the life term. Of these the following have 
served under the present pastorate : William 
Douglas, John D. Smith, Ebenezer F. Hutson, 
Eobert H. Patterson, James H. Smith, Robert 
Young, William McMurdy, Robert Oliver, Eobert 
J. Blair, Francis Graham, Daniel McMuUin and 
William Forrest. The last named six are all that 
now remain. 



in the growth and prosperity of the church. A net 
gain of 166 members lias accrued to the society 
since they entered the new church, while the de- 
partments of religious service have been greatly 
increased and the interest in them deepened in a 
marked degree. 

The church is now comparatively strong in 
membership and resources, with its large number 
of young people to lend a helping hand in the 




FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 



Between eleven and twelve hundred members 
have been received into the communion of the 
church. '^iVhen the present pastor, the Rev. J. H. 
Robinson, D. D., assumed the charge of the church 
in July, 1863, the church building was located on 
the flats about one mile and a half below the vil- 
lage. It remained in that location until the begin- 
ning of the year 1882, when a new and commodious 
building was completed, at a cost of $12,000, on an 
eligible site in Delhi village. This change in the 
place of worship proved to be a decided advantage 



prayer meeting. Christian Endeavor and Junior 
Eodeavor societies, while the missionary spirit, 
through the woman's society and the pastor's ef- 
forts and appeals is being gradually developed and 
strengthened, so that the church, in addition to its 
own support, is giving annually a thousand dollars 
and more to the various mission boards of the 
church. 

The church is harmonious in all its Christian 
activities and furnishes many reasons for thank- 
fulness and renewed courage. 



26 



THE DELHI HISTOEICAL SOUVENIB. 



Rev, James H. Robinson, D. D., was born in Ar- 
gyle, Washington County, N. Y. He graduated 
from Union College in the class of '59. Attended 
the Theological Seminary in Allegheny City, Pa., for 
four years. On graduation he was invited to Delhi 
and on receiving a call accepted the pastorate of 
the First Presbyterian Church, where he has since 
remained. 

He received the honorary title of D. D. from his 
Alma-Mater, Union College, in '95 at the time of 
her centennial celebration. 

Mr. Eobinson's life has been abundant in labors, 
not only in outside fields but in the care and ad- 
ministration of his church, which has required 
large and concentrated effort in bringing and keep- 
ing it in its present successful and prosperous 
state. 

J. Duncan Lawrence, the Chairman of the Board 
of Supervisors of Delaware County, who is promi- 
nent in county politics, owns a large and rich farm 
of 230 acres and is 
one of the leading 
citizens of BlooniAalle 
in the town of Kort- 
right. He has a large 
dairy of over forty 
head of cows, in which 
he has reason to take 
especial pride and 
with which he pays 
much attention. Hav- 
ing had considerable 
experience in business 
Mr. Lawrence con- 
ducts his dairy on 
business principles, 
and when not engaged 
in the duties which 
his position as chair- 
man of the board re- 
quires of him devotes 
his personal attention 
to his property. He 
was appointed fish 
and game protector in 
August, 1895. He has served as supervisor for 
five consecutive years and as chairman last year 
and this. 

His father, Jacob W. Lawrence, a native of Mid- 
dletown, Delaware county, where he was engaged 
in an extensive lumber business, enlisted in Sick- 
les' Brigade in the 91st New York Volunteer Infan- 
try at the breaking out of the civil war, and died 
in 1862 from injuries received in service, leaving a 
comfortable fortune. Not only the father but the 
son offered their services in defense of the Union, 
the latter, the subject of this sketch, enlisting in 
the 56th New York Volunteers, Co. H, Capt. Wil- 
liam Joslyn, in September, 1861. He was then 
only 15 years old, — born January 29, 1846, in Col- 
chester, Delaware County. He served through the 
war, participating in sixteen battles, among which 
were Williamsburg, Yorktowu and Fair Oaks, and 
receiving an honorable discharge in November, 
1865. Upon returning home he took a course in 
the Andes Collegiate Institute, after which he 




J. DUNCAN LAWRENCE. 



spent two years traveling and then settled in Bing- 
hamton where he remained five years as a clerk in 
a store. Beturning to Delaware county he engaged 
in buying and selling live stock, in which he met 
with success. In 1882 he purchased the farm he 
now owns. On October 30, 1880, he married Miss 
Kate, daughter of Harvey Keator. For a year and 
a half after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence 
resided in Kingston. For three years he served as 
superintendent of the poor. He is a member of 
the Delaware Valley Lodge No. 612, I. O. O. F. 

The Delhi Cornet Band. — As to the band and 
its origin little can be learned more than there has 
been a band in Delhi as far back as can be remem- 
bered by the oldest inhabitants, but its history is 
but a repetition of all other similar organizations, 
they rise and fall almost continually, some move 
away and some die, thus depleting the ranks while 
their places are quickly filled up by younger men 
and more modern ideas and instruments. But with 
each change in the roster or equipment the marks of 
progress and improve- 
ment are always 
noticeable, so that 
what was considered 
good ten years ago 
Av o u 1 d fall very far 
short of the demands 
of the present time. 
The Band has had 
its successes and fail- 
ures under various 
leaders and teachers, 
among whom can be 
mentioned such able 
musicians as A.M. 
Crawford, George Per- 
sons, Jr., Ed. J. Dick- 
son, Clarence Sutton, 
and others, sometimes 
booming up to the 
highest expectations 
of their music-loving 
friends, and then 
dropping off until only 
a few faithful ones 
were left to occasion- 
ally break the stillness 
with their discordant 
longings to have 
a good band again. 
During these spells 
of lethargy and dullness the soul of music was 
not dead but sleeping, and only waiting for the 
master mind to rouse them into activity. This 
long hoped for spirit was found in the genial gen- 
tleman Mr. B. S. Graham, of Newport, Pa., who is 
not only a bandman and organizer, but a leader 
and teacher, in every sense of the word, of band, 
orchestra, piano, etc., playing equally well on a 
number of instruments. His very presence among 
them is the incentive to practice, think and play 
until their roll at this time numbers twenty-five 
men equipped with fine instruments and uniforms 
of the latest pattern, the gifts of the public spir- 
ited citizens, for which Delhi has a very extended 
reputation. They have also a fine room to prac- 
tice in which is painted and papered, and carefully 
looked after by that musical genius Charles Mace, 
who is never happier than when manipulating his 
sheepskin fiddle on parade. 

The Zeta Phi Fraternity is composed of the 
principal business and professional men of the 
village and has a membership of about 250. This 
society is honored with the enrollment of many 
men who have distinguished themselves in public 



THE DELHI HISTOEICAL SOUVENIE. 



27 



life. It also is remarkable because it has outlived 
almost a half century and is to-day stronger than 
ever. From a historical sketch written by W. P. 
Lynch and read at an annual festival held on July 
27, 1876, we learn that this fraternity has furnished 
the principal teachers of the first educational insti- 
tutions of the county, for several years the super- 
visor of Delhi and for a great many years the 
chairman of the board of supervisors. From its 
membership men have been taken to serve as dis- 
trict attorneys, county judges, school commission- 
ers, members of assembly and state senators, a 
state superintendent of insurance, member of the 
constitutional conventions of 1887 and 1894, a cir- 
cuit judge in Wisconsin, a probate judge in Minne- 
sota, two members of congress, a deputy attorney 
general of this state, a judge of the court of 
appeals, a commissioner for the northern distiiet 
of New York and a comptroller of the currency at 
Washington. Thirty of its members entered the 
Union army and four the navy in the last civil war, 
and of that number those who attained rank in- 



Messrs. Johnson and Meigs initiated the following 
gentlemen and the society was perfected with 
eight members — James Lewis, E. K. Meigs, C. B. 
Perry, Abner Thurber, J. Ho^nry Gould and Samuel 
A. Fitch. At that meeting a committee was ap- 
pointed to draft a constitution. The meetings 
were held at irregular intervals and from the 
records which are carefully preserved by Prof. 
Smith, editor of the Delaware Gazette, it appears 
that a full list of officers was not chosen until at 
the meeting held on May 26, 1855, when the fol= 
lowing were elected. Since then the distinguish- 
ing names for different officers have been changed. 
The first officers : Arbiter, James Lewis (now a 
clergyman at Joliet, 111.) ; Scribe, George E. Mar- 
vine (living in Delhi) ; Petrarch, Andrew Thomp- 
son (since a clergyman, deceased,) ; I. Usher, T. B. 
Meigs (now of New York) ; O. Usher, J. H. Gris- 
wold (deceased) ; Censor, E. T. Johnson (lawyer 
in Franklin) ; Editor, H. D. Gould (merchant, in 
Chicago); Librarian, E. K. Meigs (living in New 
York). It is remarkable that only two of the 




J KENNEDY HOOD'S RESIDENCE. 



eluded one paymaster, five lieutenants, five sur- 
geons, four captains, three majors, two lieutenant- 
colonels, two colonels and one brigadier-general. 
The Zeta Phi fraternity of Delhi must not be 
confounded with the college Greek Letter society 
of that name. It is a secret society but altogether 
local, having its by-laws and written work. The 
society originated in Delhi, belongs there and 
there is no similar institution elsewhere. It was 
organized for mutual improvement and with the 
view of adopting as members such students at the 
Delaware Academy of more than ordinary ability 
as should give promise of future personal success. 
The membership was therefore established on a 
durable basis and the roll of honor above inscribed 
prove that the rule of selection for members was 
carefully followed. The founders were E. T. John- 
son and T. B. Meigs. The former is now a ven- 
erable and distinguished practitioner at law at 
Franklin, Delaware county, and the latter is a 
large and successful lumber merchant in New 
York City. The first meeting was held in what 
the society called its "den" on March 3, 1855. 



number are dead. The fraternity held festivals at 
irregular periods which were the important social 
events of the years. In its early history the meet- 
ings were made especially interesting by debates. 
During the height of the anti-slavery agitation the 
fraternity discussed that question with earnest- 
ness. At the meeting held May 19, 1855, the topic 
of debate was " Eesolved, that intemperance is a 
greater evil than slavery." The first festival was 
held July 3, 1855 ; two years later (July 3, 1857,) 
the first public festival. By legislative enact- 
ment, April 17, 1861, the society became incorpor- 
ated under the name, "The Zeta Phi Fraternity," 
the object of which is stated to be the establish- 
ment of a public library, the fraternity to hold 
property from which the annual income shall not 
exceed $5,000. The first death was that of Sylvester 
Eichard McKeon, on April 25, 1856. The present 
officers : Andrew J. McNaught, Jr., Arehon ; Fred J. 
Decker, Petrach ; Frank M. Farrington, Quester ; 
Walter E. Neweomb, Scribe ; John G.Chalmers, Cen- 
sor ; Fred W. Youmans, Outside Usher ; Eugene P. 
Lynch, Inside Usher; Geo. A. Prentice, Librarian. 



The DELHI HlSTOElCAL SOUVENIR. 



The Methodist Episcopal Church of Delhi was 
formed on July 23, 1839, a few people meeting at 
the Court House for that purpose. Eev. Joseph B. 
Wakeiey began at once "supplying the pulpit." 
James Howe presented the society with a deed of 
the present site on December 21, 1840, and the 
church was soon erected. The pastors have been : 



G. Slater, Eev. A. E. Burroughs, Eev. J. W. McCum- 
ber, Eev. S. W. Walsworth, Eev. E. H. W. Barden, 
Eev. C. W. McPherson, Eev. H. W. Ackerley, Eev. 
G-eorge Hearn, Eev. Eobert H. Kelley, Eev. S. G. 
Keyser, Eev. Thomas Lamont and the present 
pastor, Eev. W. McKendree Darwood, D. D., who 
began his duties on April 1, 1897. The Epworth 
League and the Ladies' Aid Society are important 





Bf^ 




METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. 



Eev. Joseph B. Wakeiey, Eev. Aaron Eogers, Eev. 
Sanford Washburn, Eev. W. G. Smith, Eev. H. B. 
Mead, Eev. John Trippet, Eev. Charles Kelsey, 
Eev. George Taylor, Eev. Paul E. Brown, Eev. 
Thomas Carter, Eev. Joseph Elliott, Eev. Eobert 
Burr, Eev. A. T. Selliek, Eev. Eobert Kerr, Eev. 
L. B. Andrews, Eev. C. M. Eggleston, Eev. W. D. 
Fiero, Eev. M. S. Terry, Eev. A. Ackerley, Eev. J. 



aids to the pastor, and the membership of the 
church, which is a most prosperous one, is nearly 
250. 

The first Jury impaneled in Delaware county 
met at the house of Gideon Frisbee, at the mouth 
of Elk Creek, October 3, 1797. 

The first court seal of the county was a stream 
of water issuing from a mountain. 



THE DELHI HISTOEICAL SOUVENIE. 



29 



CIVIL LIST— ir9r-i89r. 



THE following is a list of the Delaware County 
men who have served in public office from the 
time of the erection of the county, tabulated and 
furnished by Mr. John A. Parshall, to whom we ac- 
knowledge indebtedness. 

State Officers. — Lieut. Gov. — Erastus Root, 
1823-24; To Revise Laws— Erastus Root, 1824; 
Sec'y of State — Joel T. Headley elected 1855 ; State 
Prison Inspector — Norwood Bowne elected 1854 ; 
Regent University — Amasa J. Parker elected by 
the Legislature in 1855. 

Presidential Electors.— Gabriel North, 1816 ; 
Wm. Townsend, 1824 ; Peter Pine, 1828 ; Ichabod 
Bartlett, 1836 ; Isaac Ogden, 1840 ; Marvin Wheeler, 
1848 ; Joseph S. Smith appointed vice Wheeler who 
did not serve ; Robert S. Hughson, 1856 ; James R. 
Allaben, 1860 ; Simon B. Champion, 1868. 



Ferris Jacobs, 
1889-91. 



Jr., 1881-83; Charles J. Knapp, 



State Senators.— Ebenezer Roote, 1799, 1800-2 ; 
Joshua H. Brett, 1804-12 ; Erastus Root, 1812-16 ; 
Isaac Ogden, 1816-20; John T. More, 1820-23; 
Isaac Ogden, 1823-27 ; Noadiah Johnson, 1837-39 ; 
Erastus Root, 1840-44; Stephen C. Johnson, 1844- 
48 ; John M. Betts, 1848-49 ; Henry E. Bartlett, 
1852-53 ; Edward I. Burhans, 1858-59 ; Orson M. 
Allaben, 1864-65 ; James H. Graham, 1872-73 ; N. 
Curtis Marvin, 1878-79 ; Matthew W, Marvin, 1886- 
87; William Lewis, 1888-89; James Ballantine, 
1895-96 ; John Grant, present incumbent. 

Members of Assembly. — Orson M. Allaben, 1840, 
'70; Jonathan C.AUaben, 1847; Ellas Butler, 1799; 
Daniel H. Burr, 1812 ; William Beach, 1818 ; Ben- 
jamin Benedict, 1832 ; Jabez Bostwick, 1825 ; Mil- 
ton Bostwick, 1843 ; Dubois Burhans, 1835 ; Jesse 




KINGSTON STREET BRIDGE, DELHI. 



Constitutional Delegates. — Roswell Hotchkiss 
and Ellas Osborn, 1801 ; Eiastus Root and Robert 
Clark, 1821 ; Isaac Burr and David S. Waterbury, 
1846; John Grant and Samuel F. Miller, 1867; 
Jonas M. Preston (commissioner) 1873 ; Abram C. 
Crosby, 1894. 

Supreme Court Justices. — Amasa J. Parker, 
1844 — ; Levinus Monson, 1850, (appointed vice E. 
B. Morehouse, deceased); Wm. Murray, Jr., 1867- 
1887 ; Francis R. Gilbert (appointed vice Wm. 
Murray) May to December, 1887. 

Members of Congress. — Erastus Root, 1803-5, 
1809-11 ; Samuel Sherwood, 1813-15 ; Erastus Root, 
1815-17 ; Robert Clark, 1819-21 ; Charles A. Poote, 
1823-25 ; Selah R. Hobbie, 1827-29 ; Erastus Root, 
1831-33 ; Noadiah Johnson, 1833-35 ; Amasa J. Par- 
ker, 1837-39; Samuel Gordon, 1841-43, 1845-47; 
Herman D. Gould, 1849-51 ; Jonas A. Hughson, 
1855-57 ; James H. Graham, 1859-61 ; Samuel F. 
Miller, 1863-65, 1875-77 ; Charles Knapp, 1869-71 ; 



Booth, 1837; Cornelius Bassett, 1838; Ichabod 
Bartlett, 1839 ; Benjamin J. Bassett, 1869-74 ; Na- 
than Bristol, 1840 ; Edward I. Burhans, 1844-68 ; 
Luther Butts, 1849; Alpheus Bolt, 1870-71 ; Robert 
Beates, 1880 ; James Ballantine, 1890 ; Robert 
Clark, 1813-15; Andrew Craig, Jr., 1813; James 
Coulter, 1832; John Calhoun, 1848; Robert W, 
Courtney, 1863 ; Robert P. Cormack, 1878 ; Silas S. 
Cartwright, 1884-5 ; James R. Cowan, 1892 ; Robert 
Cartwright, 1895; Adam I. Doll, 1805; William 
Dewey, 1816 ; Edward Doyle, 1828 ; Samuel Doyle, 
1851 ; Warren Dimmick, 1857 ; George G. Derrick, 
1875; Henry Davie, 1891; James Eels, 1819-24; 
John Edgerton, 1833 ; Samuel Eels, 1842 ; Hezekiah 
El wood, 1852; Daniel Fuller, 1809-11; Orrin 
Foote, 1846 ; John H. Gregory, 1821 ; Asa Grant, 
1822-23; Samuel Gordon, 1834; John Griffin, 1836; 
Orrin Griffin, 1842 ; Mathew Griffin, 1872-74 ; Wm. 
Gleason, Jr., 1851; Francis R. Gilbert, 1863-64; 
George C. Gibbs, 1867 ; James H. Graham, 1871 ; 
DeWitt Griffin, 1893; Wesley Gould, 1894; Wm. 
Horton, 1798; Matthew Halcott, 1830; James 



30 



THE DELHI HISTOKICAL SOUVENIR. 



Hughson, 1832 ; Thomas J. Hubbell, 1837 ; John 
Haxtun, 1856; Barna R. Johnson, 1857, '59-60; 
Martin Keeler, 1817; Stephen H. Keeler, 1841; 
James W. Knapp, 1836 ; Charles Knapp, 1841 ; 
Charles J. Knapp, 1886-88; Patrick Lamb, 1800; 
John Lamb, 1803 ; Henry Leavenworth, 1816 ; 
Samuel A. Law, 1858-60; Eeuben Lewis, 1846; 
Wm. Lewis, 1872-81 ; Jerome D. Landfleld, 1864 ; 
Anthony Marvine, 1805-6 ; John T. More, 1807-8, 
'10, '14 : Wm. S. McEea, 1829 ; David P. Mapes, 
1831; Darius Mapes, 1838; Jonas More, 1839; 
John McDonald, 1845 ; Richard Morse, 1850 ; Lewis 
Mills, 1852; Samuel F. Miller, 1854; Ezekial Mil- 
ler, 1855; John Mead, 1856; Isaac H. Maynard, 
1876-7; John S. McNaught, 1879; George 0. Mead, 
1889 ; Delos H. Mackey, 1896-97 ; Gabriel North, 
1801-2, '4, '6 '8 ; Elias Osborn, 1803-4, '10 ; Isaac 
Ogden, 1812-14 ; Wm. B. Ogden, 1835 ; James Oli- 
ver, 1865 ; Joshua Pine, 1807 ; Asahel E. Paine, 
1815-17; Peter Pine, 1820-24, '31; Amasa J. Parker, 
1834; Jesse Palmer, 1844; Linus Porter, 1845; 
Fletcher Palmer, 1858 ; Harmon I. Quackenbush, 
1825 ; Erastus Root, 1799, 1801-2, 1818-21, '26, '27 ; 
Seaker, 1827, '28 and '30 ; Samuel Raxford, 1823 ; 



1825-28 ; Gurden H. Edgerton, 1828-31 ; John H. 
Gregory, 1831-34 ; Duncan J. Grant, 1834-37 ; John 
Edgerton, 1840-43 ; Green More, 1843-46 ; DeWitt 
C. Thomas, 1846-49; Daniel Rowland, 1849-52; 
Duncan McDonald, 1852-55; Alexander H. Bur- 
hans, 1855-58 ; Baldwin Griffin, 1858-61 ; Gabriel S. 
Mead, 1861-4 ; John Calhoun, 1864-7 ; Hamilton S. 
Preston, 1867-70 ; Edward A. Griffith, 1870-73 ; Dar- 
ius S. Jackson, 1873-76 ; Wm. J. Clark, 1876-79 ; 
John Crawford, 1879-82 ; Wm. H. Douglass, 1882-85, 
Daniel Franklin, 1885-88 ; John J. McArthur, 1888- 
91 ; Thomas E. Elliott, 1891-94 ; William C. Porter, 
1894-97. 

County Clerks — Ebenezer Foote, 4 years ; Philip 
Gebbard, 2 years ; John Doll, 6 years ; Homer R. 
Phelps, 7 years ; Asahel E. Paine, 7 years ; Am- 
brose Bryan, 2 years ; John E. Burhans, 3 years ; 
Crawford B. Sheldon, 18 years ; Wm. McClaughry, 
6 years ; Benjamin Cannon, 6 years ; Robert S. 
Hughson, 6 years ; W. Ward Grant, 6 years ; Smith 
H. White, 6 years ; Ransom A. Grant, 6 years ; 




RESIDENCE OF D. J. PURDY, Supt. op the Condensart. 



James G. Redfleld, 1829 ; Charles S. Rogers, 1853 
Daniel Rowland, 1854; David St. John, 1809-11 
Stoddard Stevens, 1833; Donald Shaw, 1847 
Daniel Stewart, 1853 ; Wm. B. Smith, 1855 ; Donald 
B. Shaw, elected in 1859 and died before taking 
his seat; Semour E. Smith, 1861; Joshua Smith, 
1867 ; Ira E. Sherman, 1865-66 ; Albert E. Sullard, 
1868-70, Albert H. Sewell, 1878 ; Timothy Sander- 
son, 1883; Wm. Townsend, 1826; John Thomp- 
son 1827 ; Piatt Townsend, 184S ; James E. Thomp- 
son, 1849 ; Chester H. Treadwell, 1882 ; David L. 
Thomson, 1887; Nathaniel Wattles, 1798: Sluman 
Wattles, 1800 ; Nelson K. Wheeler, 1843, '62 ; George 
H. Winsor, 1850; Daniel Waterbury, 1861-62: 
Warren G. Willis, 1875 ; George D. Wheeler, 1876 ; 
Wm. J. Welsh, 1877 ; N. B.— From 1798 to 1880 
the county had two members. 

Sheriffs.— Elias Butler, 1797-99 ; James I. White, 
1799-1801 ; Clark Lawrence, 1801-5 ; Roswell Hotch- 
kiss, 1805-9; Nathan Edgerton, Jr., 1809-11; Jabez 
Bostwick, 1811-13; Robert Leal, 1813-15; Jabez 
Bostwick, 1815-19; Isaac Burr, 1820-21; Martin 
Keeler, 1821 ; Roger Case, 1822-25 ; Martin Keeler, 



George T. Warner, 6 years ; George W. Crawford, 
6 years ; Joshua K. Hood, present incumbent. 

County Judges. — Joshua H. Brett, 13 years ; 
Ebenezer Foote, 12 years: Isaac Ogden, 7 years; 
Jabez Bostwick, 10 years ; Charles Hathaway, 5 
years ; Nelson K. Wheeler, 2 years ; Wm. Gleason, 
8 years ; Jesse Palmer, 4 years ; Wm. Murray, Jr., 
4 years ; Edwin D. Wagner, 10 years ; Isaac H. 
Maynard, 6 years ; Daniel T. Arbuekle (resigned 
in less than a month after election) ; James R. 
Baumes, 6 years; Albert H. Sewell (present incum- 
bent elected 1889). 

Surrogates. — Anthony Marvine, 14 years : John 
R. Gregory, 2 years ; Amos Douglass, 2 years ; 
Robert North, 17 years ; Amasa J. Parker, 9 years ; 
Charles Hathaway, 3 years ; Nelson K. Wheeler, 
3 years. Since July, 1847, Surrogate's duties are 
performed by County Judge. 

District Attorneys. — Wm. H. Elting, Selah E, 
Hobble, Amasa J. Parker, Nelson K. Wheeler, 
Truman H. Wheeler, Wm. Murray Jr. , John Grant, 



THE DELHI HISTOEIOAL SOUVENIE. 



31 



Keuben H. Eoot, Harvey F. Davidson, Daniel T. 
Arbuckle, Jonas M. Preston, John P. Grant, John 
B. Spencer, Noadiah Johnson, Samuel Gordon, 
James A. Hughson, Amasa J. TenBroeek, Robert 
Parker, George W. Clark, Ferris Jacobs Sr., Ferris 
Jacobs Jr., Abram C. Crosby, Samuel H. Faucher, 
William F. White. 

County Treasurers-Formerly appointed by board 
of supervisers and held office during pleasure of the 
board. Only correct list obtainable, viz : William 
Frisbee, Alonzo F. Salisbury, Harvey E. Millard, 
Anthony M. Paine, James Elwood, Horatio N. 
Buckley, Charles A. Foote, T. F. Mcintosh, J. S. 
Page, Miner Stillson, J. E. Honeywell, C. S. 
Woodruff. 



The original post organized at the close of the war 
was disbanded. England Post has 71 members. 
Commander, John Blake ; Senior Vice Commander, 
Jacob O. Finch ; Junior Vice Commander, James 
S. Dow ; Quartermaster, William D. Smith ; Sur- 
geon, George C. Smith ; Chaplain, George W. 
Grant; Adjutant, Charles F. Churchill; Officer of 
the Day, H. J. Perkins ; Officer of the Guard, John 
M. Leal. 

Woodland Cemetery. — This is one of the most 
tastefully kept burial grounds to be found in small 
villages. The site is rolling ground, extending 
higher the farther back one goes from the en- 
trance. From the numerous summits within its 
limitsmay'be obtained extended views^along the 




THE CLERGY OF DELHI. 



Rev. L. Willard Minch, 

Baptist. 



Rev. Akthttb B. Livermore, 

St. Johri's Episcopal. 



Rev. Frank H. Seeley, Rev. W. McKendbee Darwood, 

Second Presbyterian. Methodist Episcopal. 

Rev. James H. Robinson, 

First Presbyterian. 



England Post, No. 142, G. A. R., was organ- 
ized March 11, 1884, and was named after Lieut.- 
Col. T. L. England, who was killed in front of 
Petersburgh. He was Lieut.-Col. of the 89th N. 
Y. Volunteers. The charter members were Butler 
Fitch, John M. Gordon, Frank L. Norton, James 
H. Wright, Wells E. Whitney, William M. Murray, 
William Thompson, AVilliam H. Douglas, George 
W. Hitchcolk, Charles F. Churchill, Hiram A. 
Stoutenburg, William H. Maxfield, Alexander Dy- 
sart, Ferris Jacobs, Jr., Thomas O'Neil, William 
G. Gilbert, William J. Clark, George C. Gibbs. 



valley. The remains of General Leavenworth rest 
in this cemetery. The entrance is an ornamental 
iron arch supported bj' massive stone towers. It 
is the gift of Edwin C. Sheldon. The cemetery 
comprises about 20 acres. 

"The Great Mogul."— It is said that Judge 
Foote, who represented Ulster County in the Leg- 
islature of 1796-7, named Delhi on the suggestion 
of a party of friends, by whom the Judge was nick- 
named " The Great Mogul " — the new town being 
his home, as ancient Delhi was the city of the 
Mogul. 



32 



THE DELHI HISTORICAL SOUVENIE. 



The Baptist Church was organized on August 
23, 1842, and for two years services were held in 
the Court House. On September 7, 1844, the 
new edifice was first occupied, it having cost, in- 
cluding lot, $3,000. The pastors have been : Eras- 
tus Wescott, Elder John Little, Elder D. F. Leach, 
Elder M. E. Fary, Elder E. J. Eeynolds, Elder E. 



forty members are of great aid to Eev. Mr. Minch, 
who has greatly strengthened the church during 
his pastorate. The church has been extensively 
repaired and among other improvements may be 
noted the erection of a handsome pai'sonage, which 
Avas completed in March, 1896. 

The past year is one that reflects great credit 
upon Eev. Mr. Minch, as the membership has in- 




BAPTIST CHURCH. 



D. Andrews, Eev. S. Gallup, Aaron "Wilkie, 0. Sar- 
gent, licentiate, Eev. M. L. Purrington, Eev. F. J. 
Eoscoe, Eev. F. D. Penny, Eev. W. D. Swan, Eev. 
A. W. Eeynolds, Eev. M. M. Mills, Eev. G. B. Law- 
son, Eev. Enoch Powell, and Eev. L. Willard Minch. 
The church has a membership of 126 and a 
largely attended Sunday School. The Ladies' Aid 
Society and a Christian Endeavor Society of about 



creased 41, of which 36 are by baptism, and his 
efforts in extending Christianity are meeting with 
most pronounced success. 

The first settlement was the village of Harpers- 
field, founded by William, John, Alexander and 
Joseph Harper, who obtained a patent for 22,000 
acres of land in 1768. ': This grant was a part of 
the Hardenburg patent lying east of the Mohawks 
or west branch. 



THE DELHI HISTORICAL SOTJVENIE. 



33 




JOHN W. WOODRUFF. 

John W. Woodruif is probably the oldest active 
merchant in the village of Delhi, having been con- 
stantly in business for fifty years in one store, 
that which is now conducted by him and his sons 
under the firm name of J. W. and C. S. Woodruff. 
This is the most popular and most widely patron- 
ized of any of- the dry goods or boot and shoe es- 
tablishments. The firm carries a large stock of 
goods and ships large quantities of butter. The 
senior member of the firm, although well advanced 



, in years, exercises personal supervision of 
the business, being as constantly in attend- 
ance to business as his two sons who are 
with him. He was born in Meredith, Feb. 
11, 1825, and is still enjoying excellent 
health, always in good spirits and ready for 
a hearty handshake and the enjoyment of a 
good laugh. Business is always good there, 
the two partners being assisted )jy Mr. 
Woodruff's eldest son, William, who having 
traveled on the road has an extensive 
acquaintanceship, and Eollin Eoberts the 
clerk. Mr. J. W. Woodruff's father, Joel, 
came from Connecticut and was a cooper by 
trade. When the boy was 14 years old 
the family moved to Sidney, N. Y. On May 
11, 1841, Mr. Woodruff entered the store of 
A. D. Williams at Unadilla as a clerk, and 
on March 4, 1842, accepted a similar posi- 
tion with Watson & Sands in the same vil- 
lage. While there he, February 6, 1843, was 
appointed deputy postmaster, which posi- 
tion he filled until the spring of 1845 when 
he came to Delhi and entered the store, in 
which he has ever since been in business, 
^ to serve in a clerkship for Mr. John Blaneh- 
ard. That was his lucky year, since in 
the fall he wedded Eunice, the daugh- 
ter of Mr. Blanchard. In the following 
spring he became a partner and in 1873 he pur- 
chased his partner's interest, continuing sole pro- 
prietor of the business until 1880 when his second 
son, Charles S., was received as a partner. Mr. 
Blanchard died the year he retired from the store. 
The building has since been transformed into a 
large modern place of business. Mr. J. W. Wood- 
ruff has served as village trustee several years, 
and although never active in politics is interested 
in all public matters. He is president of the board 
of trustees of Delaware Academy of which he has 
been a member many years, president of the 




ABRAM C. CROSBY'S RESIDENCE. 



34 



THE DELHI HlSTOElCAL SOUVENIR. 



trustees of Woodland Cemetery, and for thirty 
years a vestryman of St. John's Episcopal church. 
His daughter, Mrs. H. L. Stone, resides in New 
York where her husband is engaged in the boot 
and shoe business, and his youngest son, Edwin 
B., is at Berkeley Divinity School, Berkeley, Ct., 
preparing for the ministry. 

G. W. & H. D. Crawford, manufacturers of 
high grade, light wagons, give employment to 
from 40 to 80 men, according to the condition of 
the times. Both are practical men in the con- 
struction of all styles of vehicles, and through 
studyinix the demands of the trade and consulting 
the best interests of their patrons they have devel- 
oped and perfected a vehicle which has become 
quite popular throughout the country. Having 
the facilities for turning out from 3,000 to 4,000 
wagons a year they have established a trade which 
comprises not 
alone the eastern 
states but extends 
very largely 
through the south 
and west. This 
trade has been 
constantly growing 
until now the Craw- 
ford wagon works 
are regarded as an 
important industry 
which the town 
could hardly spare, 
giving promise in 
the future of be- 
coming one of the 
leading wagon man- 
ufacturing estab- 
lishments in this 
section of the state. 

The Crawford 
wagons com p r i s e »• W- CRAWFORD, 

all styles of open and top vehicles for pleasure and 
light driving. A special style of gear known as the 
Stiver, fitted with the Timpkins spring and made 
only for the Crawford wagons, this firm having the 
exclusive i-ight to manufacture it, is one of the 
main recommendations of this wagon. It has be- 
come very popular and those who have tested its 
merits will consider no other by reason of its dura- 
bility and ease of motion and the general advan- 
tages it possc'^ses over other gear. The springs 
are flexible and strong, made on purpose for the 
Sti ver gear, and are supported by side bars hung 
on the forward and rear axles. The wagon com- 
prises a long body and short gear insuring steady 
and well balanced seats for the occupants, with 
scarcely a perceptible response to the inequalities 
of the road and no jolting; also insuring an easy 
and short turn. The wagons, comprising many 
gracefully and elegantly constructed styles of 
fancy vehicles, include one and two seaters, of 




which the prettiest are the Boulevard and the 
Dos-a-Dos. The wheels are made with wire or 
wood spokes and with solid rubber or pneumatic 
tires. It is stated on good authority that this 
firm has sold more wagons with good leather tops 
than any other concern. The specialty which is a 
charmer in design and the correct thing for a styl- 
ish outfit either for a single horse or team is the 
pneumatic wagon with wire wheel and piano body 
setting low, having a single seat, and weighing 
240 pounds. The motion of this wagon is as easy 
and restful as grandmother's rocking chair. 

The plant, which now covers about four acres of 
ground and comprises four large buildings with 
about an acre of floor space, was established in 
1894. It started in a small way, but in the sum- 
mer of 1895 the firm bought the Stiver patent of 
gear and its advantages becoming at once recog- 
nized the demand 
increased marvel- 
ously, giving the 
enterprise an im- 
petus in one year 
which few concerns 
experience in a life 
time. The build- 
ings are construct- 
ed a f te r modern 
plans and include 
all improvements. 
They are fitted 
with the Bundy 
time recorder and 
steam heat 
throughout. The 
machinery is driv- 
en by an engine 
supplied with a 
2 00-horse power 
Hazleton boiler. 
This also furnishes 
the power for the 
plant which sup- 



H. D. CRAWFORD 



plies the village with electric lights. 

George W. Crawford, the senior member of the 
firm, was born March 12, 1859. Henry D. was 
born April 12, 1861; both in the town of Daven- 
port. They first started in the wagon business at 
that place in 1892, employing 20 men. George W. 
was elected County Clerk in 18S9 and occupied that 
office for six years. He is a member of the Ma- 
sonic order and is a Zeta Phi. He married Miss 
Ada Smith, of Davenport. Henry Crawford mar- 
ried Miss Delia MacMinn, of Davenport, in 1887. 

It was not many years ago that the old-fashioned 
wagon was thought good enough. When the rub- 
ber tire was invented the incredulous — they are 
always with us — said it would not be durable. 
The Crawford wagon with the pneumatic tire is 
run all over the hills of Delaware county and it is 
as durable as any other tire used. At least that is 
the writer's impression fx'om experience with them. 
Why, in five years no other tire will be used on 



THE DELHI HISTOEICAL SOUVENIE. 



35 




CRAWFORDS' WAGON WORKS-OFFICE FORCE. 



light wagons. The pneumatic tire wagon which 
the Crawfords use about town constantly, demon- 
strates the utility of that wagon for every day use. 
And, practicability being settled, who will dispute 
the question that no wagon compares with the 
Crawford for comfort. Traveling over the country 
on those tires is like having a cushioned seat in 
Jove's special train of clouds. Could any one ex- 
pect an easier trip? The village of Delhi is for- 
tunate in having an industry of that nature. 

The Stiver wagon has attracted considerable at- 
tention by writers in the trade publications, nota- 
bly in the Carriage Monthly which has very fully 



described the several wagons manufactured by G. 
W. & H. D. Crawford and which speaks of the 
Stiver wagon in very complimentary terms, refer- 
ring to the fact that it continues to be popular 
and that recent changes are made in its con- 
struction which the users of carriages greatly 
appreciate. 

The Crawford make of these wagons is unques- 
tionably the best that can be found in the market 
and are to-day the leaders, being very popular for 
stylish rigs as well as for ordinary road use. A 
considerable capital is invested in this plant and 
paid out for labor and supplies. 




CRAWFORDS' WAGON WORKS-BIRDSEYE VIEW. 



36 



THE DELHI HISTOEICAL SOUVENIR. 



"GfjiP's" VfliiiiEY Gazette. 

Vol. V, No. 6. Albany, N. Y., June, 1897. 12 Nos. $1. 
"Grip," Publisher, 403 Clinton Ave. 

Copyrighted, 1897, by "Grip." 

A Monthly Gazette of Social Events and Affairs in Gen- 
eral in the Empire State. 

Biographical and Historical Honthly, the only magazine 
of this nature in print. Sketches and Portraits of the 
Leading Characters in Daily Life. A valuable publication 
for reference. 

A Local Hotel Record and Guide with more than two 
hundred of the Best Hotels on the list. 



Publisher and Designer of Mementos, Souvenirs, Favors, 
Menus; Designs for Advertising Purposes for all kinds of 
Business, Summer Re-<ort and Hotel Stationery of New 
and Unique Designs ; Everything in plate and paper that 
is new and rich, and where beauty is not sacrificed for 
economy. 



The Histoeical Soxjvenik of Delhi, we trust 
will please you all. We came among you compar- 
ative strangers ; we have received hospitable treat- 



or more artistic liistorical souvenir than this — a 
statement not intended as self glorification, since 
without the co-operation of the enterprising citi- 
zens a creditable souvenir would be impossible. 



Several of the most active citizens of Delhi tooli 
more than an ordinary interest in the work on this 
Souvenir, realizing the great value such a publica- 
tion would be to the village. These pages consti- 
tute a permanent record of the principal business 
interests and a few of the distinguished men who 
largely aided in the earlier advancement of the 
place, but who have since been laid at rest. 



We aee Indebted to many who have proven 
friends of this enterprise. We believe that such a 
souvenir lives after generations have come and 
gone. A great deal depends on the photographers. 
The views on these pages were made by O. T. 
Morgan, F. L. Norton and M. Farrington, to whom 
we feel grateful for the special efforts tliey made. 
The splendid views — The Birdseye of Delhi, Main 




THE FIRST OFFICERS DELHI FIKE DEPARTMENT. 
Elected April, 1860. 



A. C. Edgerton, Chief Enoineer. 
C. A. Frost, Treasurer. 

ment and hope that we may be permitted to return 
when in quest of rare sport, of which we have had 
a taste, instead of shelfels. They who try to 
please everybody will please none. We do not 
hesitate to say that no town the size of Delhi and 
few towns considerably larger can boast of a better 



D. Pettengill, Asst. Chief Engineer. 
J. A. Parshai.l, Clerk. 

street and the academy buildings and views were 
the productions of Mr. Farrington. The Centen- 
nial Views, Wautauga Falls and Second and Clin- 
ton streets were made by Mr. Norton, who also 
"tooii" some of the residences. Mr. Morgan did 
excellent work in the portraits and residential 
views. 



THE DELHI HISTOEICAL SOUVENIR. 



37 



THE CENTE NNIAL CE LEBRATION. 

n\N March 10, 1797, the legislature by enactment 
"^erected the county of Delaware. The following 
is the text : 

"Be it enacted by the Senate and Assembly that 
all that part of the counties of Ulster and Otsego 
beginning on the east bank of the Delaware river, 
at the most southerly corner of lot 28 in the sub- 
division of great lot No 2 in the Hardenburg pat- 
ent ; thence north 62 degs. east to the southwest- 
erly bounds of great lot No. 8 in the said patent ; 
thence along the bounds of great lot No. 8 north- 
westerly to the southwest corner of lot No. 20 in 
the said patent ; thence northeasterly along the 
division line of lot No. 19 and said lot No. 20 and 
that line continued to the southerly bounds of the 
county of Albany ; thence along tlie sanio and along 



Fbanklin— April, 1793 ; Supervisor, Sluman Wat- 
tles. 

Walton— March 17, 1797; Supervisor, Eobert 
North. 

Delhi— March 23, 1798; Supervisor, Ebenezer 
Foote. 

RoxBUKY — March 22, 1799; Supervisor, Isaac 
Hardenburgh. 

Meredith— March 14, 1800. 

Sidney— April 7, 1801; Supervisor, Witter John- 
ston. 

Tompkins— February 28, 1806; Supervisor, Peter 
Pine. 

Hancock — March 8, 1806; Supervisor, William 
AVheeler. 

Mason viLLE— April 4, 1811 ; Supervisor, Warren 
Willis. 

Davenpokt— March 31, 1817; Supervisor, John 
Davenport. 

Andes— April 13, 1819; Supervisor, Daniel H. 
Burr. 




PUBLIC SQUARE^COUNTY BUILDINGS DECORATED FOR THE CENTEJONIAL. 

Hamden— April 4, 1825; Supervisor, Jabez Bost- 

wick. 
Bovina— February 25, 1820; Supervisor, Thomas 

Landon, jr. 
Deposit— May 6, 1880. 



the southerly bounds of the county of Schoharie to 
the lake Utsayantha ; thence along the north 
bounds of a tract of land granted to John Harper 
and others, to the northwest corner thereof, and 
the same line continued, to the Adequitange or 
Charlotte river; thence down the waters thereof 
to the ' line of property ' ; thence southerly along 
the said line of property to the Delaware river ; 
thence down the waters thereof to the place of 
beginning — shall be a separate and distinct county 
by the name of Delaware." 

Erection of To^vns. 

Hakpeksfield — March 7, 1788; Supervisor, Ed- 
ward Paine. 

Middletown — March 3, 1789 ; Supervisor, Charles 
Tay. 

Colchestek— April 10, 1792 ; Supervisor, William 
Horton. 

Stamford — April [10, ^1792 ; Supervisor, Andrew 
Beers. 

Kortright— March 12, 1793; Supervisor, Daniel 

f Harris. 



The first centennial celebration of the organiza- 
tion of Delaware County occurred June 9 and 10, 
1897. The project of recognizing- so important an 
occasion was inspired by several well known gen- 
tlemen in the village of Delhi, the county seat. 

The manner in which the preliminaries were 
arranged and the work of preparing to properly 
celebrate the event reflects great credit on the 
gentlemen who constituted the several commit- 
tees. 

For several weeks the local papers called atten- 
tion to the approaching anniversary. Mr. William 
Clark, editor of the Express, exploited the proposi- 
tion at length in the columns of his paper, begin- 
ning in the fall of 1895. 

Mr. J. A. Parshall prepared a valuable table 
showing the dates of the organization of the sev- 



38 



THE DELHI HISTOEICAL SOUVENIE. 



eral towns ; also a table of the names of those who 
had served in public office since the organization 
of the county, both of which were published in 
the Gazette and the Express. These valuable 
statistics, published in other columns of this 
SouA^enir, must liave been the result of considera- 
ble work. In the Express of March 6 appeared 
a call for a public meeting to decide upon a cele- 
bration. This first meeting to agitate the proposi- 
tion of a celebration was held in the Village Hall 
on the evening of Tuesday, March 9. Mr. William 
Clark was chosen chairman and Mr. E. P. Mcintosh 
secretary. The general expression favored the 



the organizations bringing with them bands of 
music. It was decided that the celebration should 
take place at Delhi, on June 9 and 10. 

The programme decided upon was to have a rep- 
resentative of each town read an historical review 
of that town on June 9, on which day well known 
gentlemen were to be invited to be present to de- 
liver addresses. It was to be known as "Histoi'ical 
Day." 

On June 10, there were to be parades of firemen 
and other oi-ganizations, hose and hook and ladder 
team and bicycle races, and a parade of all of the 
ancient vehicles and people in historical costumes 




THE CENTENNIAL BADGES, 

WORN BY THE OFFICERS OP THE CELEBRATION AT DELHI. 



project and the chairman, pursuant to a vote, ap- 
pointed a general committee to consult with the 
people and pave the way for organization. 

The labors of this committee, reinforced by the 
exertions of other gentlemen, resulted in interest- 
ing the citizens generally and particularly the fire- 
men and bicyclists. 

The first meeting of the General Committee was 
held on Tuesday evening, March 23. The reports 
made at that meeting aroused the enthusiasm of 
all. The firemen throughout the county were quick 
to respond and a gathering of county firemen 
greater than ever before was promised. At least 
1,000 firemen were expected to be present, most of 



that could be got together on that occasion. 

It was decided that a collection of historic arti- 
cles should be made for exhibition on those days. 

The Committees. 
General— J. K. HOOD, C. S. WOODEUPF, W. I. 

MASON, M. T. MENZIE, J. J. BUEKE. 
On Finance— M. T. MENZIE, S. F. ADEE, JAS. 

E. HAEPEE. 
On Histoby— WILLIAM CLAEK, EOBEET P. 

McINTOSH, S. E. SMITH. 
On Speakers- HON. A. C. CEOSBY. 
On Eelics— DE. WM. OEMISTON, CHAELES W, 

GEAHAM. 



THE DELHI HISTOEICAL SOUVENIR. 



39 



Firemen's Committee— THE FIEEMEN'S BOAED 
J. J. BURKE Chief, W. A. McINTOSH Sec'y. 

Bicycle Committee— R. P. McINTOSH, F. M. 
FARRINGTON, C. R. STILSON, JAS. E. 
HARPER. 

The Speakers. 

HON. ABEAM C. CEOSBY, President of the Day 
and Address of Welcome, June 9. 

PROF. WILLIS D. GRAVES, President of the Day, 
June 10. 

COL. ROBERT P. CORMACK, Address of Wel- 
come to the uniformed organizations, June 10. 
Officers of Parade 

FRANK L. NORTON, Grand Marshal. 

GEORGE M. BUEGIN, Walton, Assistant Marshal. 

GEOEGE 0. LEONAED, Stamford, " 

WM. BEINKMAN, Franklin, 

A. B. EVANS, Deposit, 

AETHUE S. MEEKEE, Grand Marshal's Aid. 



. Spanning Main street opposite Court House 
Square was an arch with streamers and trimmings 
of National colors upon which were the words : 



1797 CENTENNIAL, 



1897 



At the corner at the American House a double 
arch crossed the two streets. The four pillars 
were wound in white and the arches supported a 
pair of eagles. A row of colored incandescent 
lights were suspended in double arcs illuminating 
the streets below. 

Eain began falling Tuesday night and when the 
town awoke Wednesday morning the streets were 
muddy and there was no promise of an abatement 
of the shower. The rain continued steadily both 
days and Friday morning the sun came out brightly 
and the weather cleared up. On the second day 
Main street was thronged with people. Hawkers 
of medals of all descriptions called their wares 
through the streets and before noon every man, 




CENTENNIAL DECORATIONS-MAIN STREET. 



Commissary Corps. 

WILLIAM D. SMITH, Superintendent of Provis- 
ion Department. 

Mrs. L. W. Firth, Mrs. E. W. Paul, Mrs. W. E. 
Mable, Mrs. C. E. Kiff, Mrs. H. D. Youmans, 
Mrs. John Woodburn and Mrs. H. C. Dann, in 
charge of tables. 

Two Days' Celebration. 

Fully five thousand visitors from all parts of the 
county were in Delhi on Wednesday and Thursday 
to celebrate the centennial in an appropriate man- 
ner. The village was gaily dressed in shields, 
banners, bunting and pine foliage. The public 
square was illuminated at night with electric 
lights. The Sheldon Hose Company had an arch 
across Main at Kingston street inscribed : 

SHELDON 

1797 HOSE 1897 

WELCOME. 



woman and child had a ribbon or metal badge 
upon his breast. Special trains poured fresh ac- 
cessions into the town. Notwithstanding the gen- 
eral jollity there was little intoxication and good 
order prevailed throughout both days. Head- 
quarters for several visiting organizations were 
provided at the court house and the hotels. The 
opera house was cleared of seats and set with 
tables where the commissary corps fed several 
hundred firemen and soldiers. The people of 
the town had contributed funds generously and 
decorated generally. A spirit of patriotism per- 
vaded the multitude. About noon of Thursday 
the ra,in stopped for awhile, enabling the jiaraders 
to march in a cool, dry atmosphere altliough wet 
and muddy under foot. The village hall and the 
opera house were used for dancing in the evening. 
On Thursday evening fireworks were displayed on 
Court street and exploding firecrackers showered 
the streets with countless jets of sparks. 



40 



THE DELHI HISTOEIGAL SOUVENIE. 



I 



Historians' Day. 

On Wednesday at 9 : 30 a. m. the Delhi Cornet 
Band gave a concert in the square. At 10 o'clock 
the citizens assembled in the court room, which 
was decorated in profusion. The exercises were 
opened with prayer by the Eev L. Willard Minch. 
The Hon. A. C. Crosby, the President of the Day, 
delivered the address of welcome in part substan- 
tially as follows : 

"We are here to celebrate the hundredth anni- 
versary of the County of Delaware. To the youth 
a century seems a long period ; to the middle aged, 
who realize that they have lived half a century, 
nearly, the time seems extremely short. On the 
4th day of March, 1797, only six days before the 
organization of Delaware County, G-eorge Wash- 
ington, the father of his country, cast .aside the 
duties and the responsibilities of the office of Pres- 
ident of the United States. During the hundred 
years that have succeeded the organization of this 



of designing to overthrow ; the treasury was bank- 
rupt, there being no financial system established ; 
a national debt had been incurred which could not 
be paid ; yet the patriots Avho had solved the ques- 
tion of American libei'ty, who had laid the founda- 
tion of American institutions, were revohang the 
plans that have developed and made this the 
greatest nation upon the face of the earth. Old 
Delaware was then a primeval forest with a terri- 
tory almost as large as the State of Ehode Island ; 
but noble men — patriots with a grand character, 
high aims and great abilities. General Eoot, Sam- 
uel Sherwood and others — were at the seat of the 
county working out its destiny as other great men 
were at the Capitol of the Eepublie working out 
its destiny. Scotland sent her best blood to this 
portion of our fair land ; the descendants of the 
Puritans are found in the eastern part of our 
county, Eoxbury, Harpersfleld, Franklin; the 
Dutch found their way over Pine Hill, drifted 




CLINTON STREET 



county the map of Europe has been changed. The 
great European wars, greater than the Eoman 
and Grecian contests, were yet to be fought 
under Bonaparte; China was yet to be opened to 
the whole civilized world; Japan had not learned 
the advantages of American civilization and had 
not had the services of one of the sons of Dela- 
ware County who afterward developed and organ- 
ized its educational system ; then there was an 
inhabitable belt along the Atlantic coast scarcely 
reaching beyond the AUeghanies with a population 
of less than four millions; Michigan, Ohio, the 
whole northwestern territory was inhabited by 
savages; Florida belonged to Spain; Louisiana 
and all the country beyond the Mississippi was 
under the French government or had been ceded 
by the British government to the United States 
and was practically unclaimed. There were quar- 
reling and wrangling in the national legislature, 
men in high places being charged with treachery 
to the new government which they were accused 



down the East Branch and settled in Eoxbury; 
there is not a nation in Europe from Sweden on 
the north to sunnj'- Fi-ance on the south that has 
not sent her sons and daughters to Delaware." 

The Programme occupied the day, allowing an 
intermission of two hours at noon. It was as fol- 
lows : 
Vocal Music — " America " — Quartette : 

Miss Lizzie Huber, Soprano ; Miss Anna Pat- 
terson, Alto ; Mr. Herbert White, Tenor ; Mir. F. 
H. Shevalier, Basso ; Mrs. J. M. Preston, Organ- 
ist. 
Address of Welcome — By Hon. Abram C. Crosby. 
Music — Delhi Cornet Band. 
Town Histoeies — 
Andes — Mr. Oscar S. Nichols. 
Bovina — Hon. D. L. Thomson. 
Colchester — E. E. Conlon, Esq. 
Addeess — Eev. J. H. Eobinson, D. D. 
Town Histoeies — 
Deposit and Tompkins — Col. Geo. D. Wheeler. 



I 



THE DELHI HISTOEICAL SOUVENIK. 



41 



Address — J. I. Goodrich, Esq., Delhi. 

Letter — From Eev. John L. Scott, D. D., of Phil- 

adelpliia. 
Music — Delhi Cornet Band. 
Band Conceet. 
Vocal Music — "Let the Hills and Dales Eesound " 

— Quartette. 
Town Histories — 

Harpersfleld — Mr. Allen S. Gibbs. 

Kortright — Mr. "William Bj. Peters. 
Address — By Gen. Amasa J. Parker, Albany. 
Town Histories — 

Meredith— Mr. J. D. Smith. 

Middletown — Hon. John Grant. 
Letter — From David Murray, LL. D., New Bruns- 
wick, N. J. 
Town Histories — 

Koxbury— Dr. J. N. Wright. 

Stamford — Geo. Lyon. 
Address — Mayor J. H. Mitchell, Cohoes, N. Y. 



Editor Jackson, of Margaretville. Thomas G. 
Smith, of Sidney, made the next address, speaking 
of antiquities. Hon. Charles Z. Lincoln, the Gov- 
ernor's legal adviser, made the closing address, 
which was a thoughtful and excellent one fittingly 
closing the exercises. The audience then joined 
in singing "Praise God from whom all blessings 
flow." 

The Festal Day. 

The rain did not dampen the spirits of the thous- 
ands assembled to celebrate. The parade in the 
afternoon was the finest ever seen in Delhi. It 
was a credit to the occasion. The forenoon was 
spent in shaking hands with old friends and mak- 
ing new ones. 

At 1 : 30 the public square was packed with peo- 
ple. Prof. Willis D. Graves, the President of the 
Day, introduced Col. E. P. Cormack, the veteran 
soldier and officer of the war of 1861-5, who deliv- 
ered the address of welcome. He spoke as follows : 




SECOND STREET. 



Town Histories — 

Hancock — Hon. Wesley Gould. 

Franklin— Mr. William B. Hanford. 

Walton — Hon. T. Sanderson. 
Letter — Mr. S. B. Champion, Stamford. 
Music — By the Band. 

At 5 p. m. there were thanksgiving exercises in 
the Second Presbyterian church, the Eev. F. H. 
Seeley and the Eev. Dr. Eobinson, leaders. 

The evening exercises in the court house began 
at 7 : 30. A vocal solo by F. L. Norton, of this vil- 
lage, "Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean," was a 
pleasing opening. Attorney General Hancock fol- 
lowed with an interesting address. Eecorder Fel- 
lows, of Cohoes, followed him in a happy vein. 
Arthur More, of Deposit, read a twentieth century 
poetical production. W. J. Eobinson, of Chicago, 
sang " Auld Lang Syne," and as an encore response 
"Ben Bolt." Editor Bird, of Sidney, spoke enter- 
tainingly, and was followed in a good speech by 



Comrades of the Grand Army of the Republic, Vet- 
erans of the War of the Great Rebellion, Firemen of 
Delaware County, and FellowOitizens from Abroad : — 
I am directed by the residents of this village, to 
extend to you, one and all, the most kindly, cor- 
dial, and hearty welcome, to a participation in 
their hospitalities that can be framed in words. 
To the Veteran Soldiers, I am further instructed to 
say that they, in common with their fellow citizens 
all over the country, understand and appreciate 
the sacrifices you made in severing home ties and 
accepting camp life, the trials of bivouac, the long 
and weary march, the discomforts of the trenches, 
fronting the enemy for months in succession, and 
in the fierce heat of battle, that the Nation might 
live and the Union of the States remain intact, and 
to assure you that the patriotism which prompted 
you to spring to the defense of our country, will 
never be undervalued. To the Firemen of Dela- 
ware County, it is made my duty to say that the 



42 



THE DELHI HISTOKICAL SOUVENIR. 



people of Delhi, although having been exempt 
from devastating fires for many years, by reason 
of the activity of their own firemen, feel very 
thankful for the singleness of purpose, which 
prompts you to devote your time to the protection 
of your neighbors' property and sometimes their 
lives. The frequency with which firemen are 
maimed in the discharge of their duty, and the 
number who have laid down their lives in efforts 
to save others, sufficiently attests the danger of 
your calling, and I here venture, in the name of 
the people from whom you severally come, to sin- 
cerely thank you for your noble Avork. The peo- 
ple of Delaware County also extend a hearty wel- 
come to the 33d Company of the State National 
Guard, and desire to congratulate them upon tbeir 
soldierly appearance, Avhile they recognize in their 
personnel the same element and characteristics 
which have made the American soldier famous all 
over the world, and it is my province to say that 
your fellow citizens repose the most perfect confi- 
dence in jour patriotism and love of coimtry, if 
you should be called into the field for earnest 
work. This celebra- 
tion is peculiar in its 
char acteristics. It 
interests all the peo- 
ple of the county 
alike. It is at once 
patriotic, sentiment- 
al and historical, and 
like the ceuturj^ 
plant, it blossoms 
only once in an 
hundred yeai'S. We 
are glad to see so 
many familiar faces 
from all parts of the 
county,and sincerely 
thank you for your 
presence and I will 
close my remarks by 
quoting the old 
adage, that brevity 
is the soul of wit. 
The town is yours 
for this auspicious 
occasion. 

The Parade. 

The line of march 
was Main, Meredith, 
High, Second, 
Franklin, Woolerton, 
Clinton, and Main 
streets to the square, 
one drum corps and 




RANSOM A. GRANT, 



There were eleven bands, 
1,000 men in the march. 
There were the chiefs of the fire departments of 
the villages of Delhi, Stamford, Walton, Andes, 
Deposit, Franklin, Hamden and Downsville march- 
ing abreast. The veterans of the civil war who 
paraded were loudly cheered. Thirty-two years 
after the close of the war they are still heroes 
whom we love to honor. 

[For Order of Marcli, see page 63.] 



Epworth League. — In September, 1884, the 
young people of the M. E. Church organized a 
society under the name of Oxford League. In the 
year 1887 the society changed to Christian En- 
deavor, which name it kept until the central body 
of the Epworth League was organized in May, 
1889. Soon after that it joined that body and 
secured a charter (No. 437). The first President 
of the Epworth League was Charles W. Colwell, 
and the first Secretary Miss Jessie Smith. The 
present President is F. H. Shevalier, and Stella 
Hunt Secretary. 



Ransom A. Grant, the Deputy County Clerk, 
has served in that position continuously since his 
appointment by County Clerk George T. Warner 
in 1885, his knowledge of the requirements of the 
position, his familiarity with every detail as to 
records, files and the general business conducted 
in the office and his extended acquaintanceship 
through the county, being recognized by each suc- 
ceeding county clerk as especially desirable quali- 
fications in a deputy. Mr. Grant's experience in 
that office dates back to 1867 when upon relin- 
quishing his studies at the Delhi academy he was 
appointed deputy under his father, W. Ward Grant, 
who at that time and for the period of two terms 
held the ofBce of County Clerk. Winning the con- 
fidence and respect of the public the son was sub- 
sequently chosen to the position his father had so 
ably occupied, being elected in 1877 and sei'ving 

two terms of three 
years each. Like 
his father he became 
a zealous Republi- 
can and an earnest 
and conscientious 
supporter of the 
principles and can- 
didates of that party. 
Deeply interested in 
what ever has given 
promise of promot- 
ing the growth of 
the town Mr. Grant 
has contributed 
largely of his time 
and means in many 
directions which 
held out no induce- 
ment of direct per- 
sonal benefit, and at 
one time he served 
as village trustee. 
He is also a member 
of the fire depart- 
ment. 

In 1880 he started in the lumber business in 
Delhi, engaging in the manufacture of sash, blinds, 
doors and general building materials. In the fall 
of 1883 a fire swept away the entire plant and ma- 
chinery, entailing a seiious loss. He then moved 
to Brooklyn where he started in the same busi- 
ness, from which he retired in 1885 returning to 
Delhi and entering at once upon the duties he has 
since so satisfactorily performed. 

Mr. Grant was born in Middletown, November 
20, 1847, a descendant of a Scotch family which 
lived in the same town as far back as the begin- 
ning of the present century, the house in which 
Ransom Grant was born being the birth place of 
his father whose date of birth is April 12, 1824. 
The lineage of this family includes that from which 
General U. S. Grant was descended. The subject 
of this sketch was reared on a farm and given a 
good education. He married 'Miss 'Augusta, the 
daughter of Thomas Covert, October 25, 1869. 
Both are members of the Second Presbyterian 
Church. They have one son who is attending 
school. 



THE DELHI HISTOEIGAL SOUVENIR. 



43 



James D. Birdsall, member and treasurer of the 
Republican County Committee does a very large 
meat business, furnishing many of the best fami- 
lies in town and enjoying the exclusive trade of 
the New Yoi-k families who spend the summer in 
their country homes near Delhi, such as the Ger- 
rys, Duffields, Sheldons, Cannons, Sherwoods and 
Greenleafs. He came to Delhi April 7, 1892, and 
opened the market where he is now in business. 
Until February 9, 1893, the business was conducted 
under the firm name of Somerville & Birdsall. A. 
D. Strong succeeded Somerville and until Novem- 
ber 8, 1895, when Mr. Birdsall took the entire bus- 



with the firm until 1882, first at their branch in 
Wilkesbarre, Pa., then for a while in the Bingham- 
ton store, after which he clerked for a year for 
Humphrey, Crosby & Ennis, dry goods merchants 
of Rondout. In 1883 he entered into business in 
Margaretville, Delaware County, the name of the 
firm being "Winter, Collin & Co. In October of that 
year there was a change and the business was con- 
ducted by Collin & Birdsall until March 1, 1888, 
when Mr. Birdsall sold his interest to Mr. Collin 
and went into the drug business in Davenport with 
Dr. Scott, his brother-in-law, Mr. Collin continu- 
ing the business alone. While in trade at Marga- 
retville Mr. Birdsall became very lai-gely ac- 
quainted with the residents of the county. The 
business was conducted on a large scale and in- 




M. C. Dibble. 



Wm. McBubney. 
Wm. Meehan. 



J. D. BIRDSALL'S MARKET. 



J. D. Birdsall. 



iness, it was conducted under the name of Birdsall 
& Strong. The former is an enterprising business 
man who takes great pride in holding a desirable 
trade. Ever attentive to the wants of his cus- 
tomers and always supplying the goods he repre- 
sents he has the confidence of his patrons. He 
was born in New Kingston, Delaware County, 
April 10, 1861, and attended the public schools 
until 1877 when he went to work for Thomas Win- 
ter, a prominent merchant for years in Margaret- 
ville. In 1879 he entered a business course in 
Lowell's College, Binghamton, where he was grad- 
uated in 1880, whereupon he at once entered into 
the employ of -^Fowler, Dick & Walker, one of the 
largest dry goods houses in Binghamton. He was 



eluded very considerable buying and shipping of 
butter. In April, 1891, Mr. Birdsall went upon 
the road as salesman for Edmunds & Mayo, a Bos- 
ton boot and shoe firm, remaining there for one 
year, when he came to Delhi. His market is prob- 
ably the largest in the retail trade in this county, 
Mr. Birdsall selling more meats every year than 
any other retail house so far as can be ascertained. 
He is a member of the Margaretville Lodge No. 
389, F. & A. M. On April 30, 1886, he married 
Miss Belle Quick, of Roxbury, who died December 
4, 1893. He married Ella M. Gemmel, of Delhi, 
February 20, 1895. By his first wife had four chil- 
dren, one of whom, Nellie, is still living, and by 
his second wife a daughter, Margery. 



44 



THE DELHI HISTORICAL SOUVENIR. 



The New York Condensed Milk Company's re- 
ceiving and shipping creamery in Delhi is a very 
interesting place to visit. The writer recently, 
through the courtesy of Superintendent D. J. 
Purdy, was permitted to inspect the work of re- 
ceiving, bottling and shipping between twentj' and 
thirty thousand quarts of milk to be retailed to 
the consumers in New York the next morning. 
How many in the great metropolis who respond 
to the milkman's daily call have the remotest idea 
of the vast amount of capital required and labor 
employed in securing fresh from the dairies scat- 
tered over miles of pastures and meadows the pure, 
delicious fluid bubbling with golden cream that is 
daily served to thousands of customers by this 
company. The writer, who had visited milk de- 
pots all over the state and when a boy had trudged 
through the dew ladened grass to corral the cows 
for milking, had never before conceived of a method 



writer when he first reached town. That state- 
ment was no exaggeration. "Just ask the super- 
intendent to show you the conti'aet which dairy- 
men are required to sign," continued the speaker. 
"The stables must be whitewashed every so often ; 
the cows are inspected by a veterinarian employed 
for that purpose— if anything is found wrong with 
a cow she is taken out of the dairy or the milk is 
no longer received. No milk is taken where the 
dairy contains other than the richest producing 
cows, or where there are any Holsteins." The 
principal breed of cows furnishing the milk to this 
creamery are Jerseys. Such indeed are some of the 
requirements, as shown in the contract. And 
every dairyman is familiar with them. Other 
specifications for example are : The milking shall 
be done in the most cleanly manner ; the milk 
must be strained through wire cloth of 100 meshes 
to an inch and thoroughly cooled immediately 
after milking ; the temperature must be reduced 
to a certain point within a certain time by placing 



^^i^" 
-%'. 



^K^^-^^ 




BORDEN'S CREAMERY BUILDINGS. 



and system so complete as this. Established in 
1895 (the Delhi branch) "Borden's creamery," as 
it is called here, has not ceased to be the talk of 
the town. Giving employment to fifty or more 
men it is regarded as an important acquisition to 
a village with little manufacturing. Yet that is 
only the beginning. The money that is paid to 
nearly 200 farmers who depend chiefly on the 
monthly checks they receive from this company 
goes largely into the tills of the store keepers in 
Delhi because this is the best place for them to 
trade. Whatever may be the result of their plant- 
ing or sowing they have simply to comply with the 
very pi'actical and necessary requirements as to 
proper feeding and care of stock and as to cleanli- 
ness of the dairy and their milk finds a market 365 
days in the year. "You won't find work cleaner in 
any kitchen you ever saw than that in the handling 
of milk at Borden's," was a remark made to the 



the cans in a vat " containing three times as much 
water as there is milk," and to a sufficient depth 
that the water shall come up about the can as 
high as the milk. The contract specifies many 
other things considered necessary by the company 
to insure the best quality of milk and absolute 
cleanliness, such as keeping the outside of the 
cans bright and thoroughly rinsing them after 
they have been returned from the depot where 
they were first scalded and cleaned by turning into 
them steam under high pressure ; also such as 
stabling, bedding, etc. Even the feed that will 
not produce milk of "a standard richness" is 
named and prohibited. But the regime of the 
dairyman is only a beginning. The contract is 
rigidly enforced in every case and the purity of 
the milk is evidence of the importance of the 
specifications. 

The interior of the depot'is a revelation. Smok- 
ing and the use of tobacco, — expectorating on the 
l¥oor — are prohibited. The force are uniformed in 
clean white linen. The stone ffoor is scrubbed 
daily, and cleansed with a stream of water turned 



i 



THE DELHI HISTORICAL SOUVENIR. 



45 




BORDEN'S CREAMERY-BOTTLING MILK FOR THE NEW YORK MARKET. 



from the hose. The spilling of milk is an offense 
rarely committed. The cans lifted from the wag- 
ons at the front door are emptied into a strainer, 
the milk being conducted thence into double vats 
from which it is drawn into a tank resting on an 
elevated tramway. The tank is then rolled along 
the length of the bottling room the milk being per- 
mitted to flow into the bottles set upon an elevated 
platform over which the car passes, after being 
strained for the third time since milking. A force 
of men follow the car placing prepared paper disks 
over the neck of the bottles as fast as they are 
filled, followed by others who place and secure the 
stopple, still another gang close behind take the 
bottles from the platform, rinse the outside in 
clean water and place them in the shipping case. 
The empty bottles are brought from the washing 
room after having been run through three changes 



of water. Crushed ice is piled in about the bottles 
and the cases are trucked into the cars drawn up at 
the platform in the rear of the station and placed 
in tiers, a layer of crushed ice being thrown upon 
each tier. The cars are then sealed and started 
for New York. The milk does not stand a moment 
from the time it leaves the cans until it is corked 
up in the bottles. Strange as it may seem, where 
so much milk is handled, there is no unsavory 
odor. Standing in the cool, wholesome atmosphere 
and watching from one position the whole process 
of receiving and bottling, the obs^rA^er looks upon 
an array of tempting bottles which invokes a thirst 
that one can readily understand with such sur- 
roundings. The milk is thoroughly cooled and al) 
animal heat eliminated before reaching the bottles. 
It is iced at the bottling table, in the ear and in 
New York. The Bordens seem to have got the 




BORDEN'S CREAMERY-SEPARATINa THE CREAM AND THE MILK. 



46 



THE DELHI HISTORICAL SOUVENIR. 



business down fine. All apparatus used, we are 
informed, is designed by them and made for their 
own use. The bottling apparatus is unique yet 
simple, filling sevei'al hundred bottles a minute. 
The "Borden's Peerless Buttermilk" is put up 
here and a very large quantity is shipped. 

In addition to the bottling department is the 
creamery, where solid cream is put up in 40-quart 
cans and shipped to New York for bottling. The 
large separators receiving the milk fresh from 
the receiving vats purify it, discharging the 
cream into a can from which it is taken to be 
bottled, and ejecting the milk into pipes from 
which it is taken by farmers to be fed to young 
stock or is discharged through under -ground 
pipes into a running stream far below the fac- 
tory to be carried away. Every precaution is 
taken to preserve cleanliness outside as well as 
inside of the buildings. Considerable butter is 
made here for shipment all over the country. 

While in Delhi we had the pleasure of witness- 
ing the arrival of a car load of Borden's New York 
employes on an excursion which the company pro- 
vides annually and 
they enjoyed the 
trip, arriving at 10- 
30 p. m., visiting the 
factory the next day 
where their pictures 
were taken in a 
group and leaving 
for New York at 4 p. 
m. It takes several 
such parties, usually 
arriving two weeks 
apart during the 
summer, to give 
them all a day's out- 
ing. We understand 
the company has fif- 
teen shipping s t a- 
tions and factories 
for supplying fresh 
milk to New Yoi-k 
and Chicago and sub- 
urban towns daily, 
and for putting up 
the several brands 
of con d e n s e d milk 
manufactu red by 
this company of 
which the Eagle is 
the leading brand, 
and which we use daily on our table in Albany. 
The main ofiices are at 71 Hudson street. H. Lee 
Borden is the President, and Isaac Milbank Vice- 
President and General Manager. 

The Ionian Club is a social organization, the 
object of which is purely recreation. The member- 
ship is always up to the limit — 25. The club was 
organized November 3, 1881. The oificers are : 
President, M. 0. Landon ; Vice-President, N. B. 
Cormack ; Secretary and Treasurer, Charles R. 
Stilson. 

The Sabbath School connected with the Meth- 
odist Episcopal Church was permanently estab- 
lished June 18, 1854, during the pastorate of 
the Rev. A. T. Selleck. The following officers 
were elected : Milton Frisbee, Superintendent ; 
Miss Mary Selleck, Assistant Superintendent; 
Porter Frisbee, Secretary. The present officers 
are : Willis H. Cavin, Superintendent ; Her- 
bert H. White, Assistant Superintendent; Miss 
Stella Hunt, Secretary ; Mrs. A. Fero, Treasurer ; 
Miss Lizzie Blake, Organist. 




JOHN B. MURRAY 



John B. Murray, the Stenographer of the Su- 
preme Court of the Sixth Judicial District, which 
position he has occupied since August, 1882, is the 
proprietor of the Delhi Electric Light Plant which 
was established in this village in 1890 by Messrs. 
John A. Kemp and Murray. A stock company was 
subsequently organized to do the lighting, but in 
1895 the business passed wholly into Mr. Murray's 
possession. In 1891-2 he was associated in estab- 
lishing a plant in Ellenville, retiring from that 
enterprise when he became sole proprietor of the 
Delhi plant. This is equipped to supply both arc 
and incandescent circuits, having a fifty light arc 
dynamo and a 1,000 light incandescent dynamo 
driven by a 100-horse power engine supplied by an 
extra fine 300-horse power boiler. The hotels and 
public buildings and some of the residences, busi- 
ness places and churches are consumers, making it 
ail important enterprise. Mr. Murray was born in 

Delhi, June 21, 1850. 
His father, John 
Murray, still living 
at the ripe age of 82 
years, located in Bo- 
vina when quite 
young. Mr. Murray 
attended the Dela- 
ware Academy and 
when 1 7 years old 
went to brickmak- 
ing at South River. 
In 1878 he entered 
the office of Isaac H. 
Maynard and was ad- 
mitted to practice at 
the bar in Bingham- 
ton in 1884. In 1878- 
80 he served as Clerk 
of the Surrogate of 
Delaware County. 
On October 23, 1882, 
he married M. Es- 
telle, the daughter 
of Solomon Rice of 
Delhi. They have 
two children, John Carlton and Nereida, aged 12 
and 3 years. 

The Delhi Mandolin Club was organized in the 
fall of 1894 with Clarence M. Sutton leader and 
first mandolin, William H. Sturges second mando- 
lin, George O. Powers and Samuel H. Norton, 
guitars. Since then the membership has been in- 
creased by the addition of Eugene P. Lynch and 
William Gemmel, mandolins, and Clifford Grant, 
guitar. The club plays occasionally for public en- 
tertainments high grade music, having a repertoire 
of sixty popular and difiieult selections. It has 
pleasant rooms in the Page building. 

The Y. P. S C. E , Second Presbyterian Church, 
began its good work September 22, 1891, and has 
proved of great help to the church, educating the 
young to become active workers. The devotional 
meetings are held Sabbath evenings one hour be- 
fore the preaching service. Business meetings are 
held once a month. There is also a Junior Society 
in connection with the church, well attended. 



THE DELHI HISTORICAL SOUVENIE. 



47 




JOHN HUTSON. 

John Hutson, the proprietor of the American 
House, came into possession in partnership with 
C. E. Kiff, January 1, 1893, and a year later became 
sole proprietor, since which time he extended the 
accommodations, made many modern improve- 
ments and increased the popularity of the house 
to an extent that has given it a constantly extend- 
ing patronage. The many pilgrims whose weary 
feet find rest in this inviting hostelry represent all 
professions in life and all sections of the country. 
The house is large and 
inviting, abundantly pro- 
vided with the best the 
land affords, neatly furn- 
i s h e d throughout and 
kept in the most comfort- 
able manner. Mr. and 
Mrs. Hutson have a rep- 
utation for entertaining 
guests of the house which 
has done very much to- 
ward bringing them a 
large number of- tran- 
sients. Mrs. Hutson has 
personal charge of the 
culinary department, 
looking after the smallest 
details and scrutinizing 
every part of the domes- 
tic work to soe that 
things go on as they 
should in all respects. 
The most pretentious ho- 



tel is not kept up in a brighter and more 
attractive condition. Since Mr. Hutson 
took the house he constructed an addition 
which has given it more ground floor ac- 
commodations than are usually found in 
hotels In the small towns of the state. The 
parlors, office, dining-room and bar open 
into a wide hall extending from the front to 
the rear. A lateral hall connecting at right 
angles connects with very pleasant first floor 
chambers, the windows of which open upon 
a garden in the rear in which fresh vegeta- 
bles are obtained during the season. The 
bar is well stocked with all the best brands 
of liquors and cigars. Mr. Hutson was clerk 
of the house under Mr. E. D. W. Kiff and 
during the time the latter was proprietor. 
He was born in Delhi, December 10, 1860. 
His father, John Hutson, Sr., conducted a 
large store in Delhi for many years, shipping 
butter to a considerable extent and engaging 
in the flour and feed business. He was one of the 
leading men in the village and was interested in 
its growth and prosperity. The proprietor of the 
American takes pleasure in entertaining his guests 
with a liberal hand. Since 1807 an hotel has stood 
on the same site. It is one of the best known 
"stands" in this section of the state. But the 
house to-day is modern throughout and compares 
favorably with hotels of greater pretensions in 
much larger towns. 




THE AMERICAN HOTEL. 



THE DELHI HISTORICAL SOUVENIR. 




M. E. ARBUCKLE. 

The Edgerton House was completed in 1847. 
It is a hotel with a wide reputation among the 
traveling public, since during the fifty years its 
hospitable doors have swung open to the weary 
stranger, many men of prominence throughout the 
State have received the hearty handshake and 
welcome for which the several landlords who have 
successively presided over the fortunes of this 
commodious house were noted. There is a fire- 
place of wonderful construction which is historic 
and has attracted considerable attention not be- 
cause of its extraordinary dimensions although its 
ruddy light and generous warmth are spread in a 
radius in which a very large company might 
be assembled. But for half a century its crack- 
ling fiames have driven away dull care from 
the minds of assembled pilgrims gathered from 
far and near while the regaling cup was passed 
round and story telling sped the passing hours 
freighted with good cheer and light hearted rev- 
elry. It is the tj'pical fire-place of massive con- 
struction, such as were built in colonial days. The 
house with its wide halls, commodious rooms 
and high ceilings has few counterparts in this 
part of the State. The builder, Judge Edgerton, 
made it famous, while conducting it for many 
years, entertaining such men as Gen. Erastus 
Root, Jay Gould, Hon. Milton Bostwick, the 
Parkers, Gen. Bassett and many others too num- 
erous too mention. He was succeeded by A. C. 
Edgerton, Daniel O'Donnell, Smith Williams, 
Henry L. Marsh, John McDonald, C. B. Griffis, 
Fred Griffis, Dodds & Arbuckle and at last the 
present genial landlord Marshall E. Arbuckle. 
Under the present management it has maintained 
its accustomed high reputation. Mr. Arbuckle is 
mine host in every respect knowing just how to 
please his many guests. He was born in the town 
of Delhi, on Scotch Mountain, Sept. 19, 1869. He 
was employed in the Edgerton House two years. 



afterwards in the Delaware Temperance 
House and the American House. He ran 
the Edgerton one year with John T. Dodds. 
Aftei'wards rebuilt and refurnished the 
Temperance House and on Dec. 1, 1896, 
took possession of the Edgerton. Mr. Ar- 
buckle has fitted up the house, since taking 
possession, so that it is modern in every 
respect. The accommodations for the travel- 
ing public are the best and the house 
occupies the very best location for a firsf- 
elass hotel. He married Miss Mary Cun- 
ningham of Delhi, April 23, 1895. He is an 
Odd Fellow and a Mason. 

Presidents of the Village. — Erastus Root, 
1821, '22, '23, '25, '38; Charles A. Foote, 
1824 ; Charles Hathaway, 182r., '28; Amasa 
Parker, 1829, '30; William B. Sheldon, 1831, 
'32; Henry Wright, 1833, '34; Gurden H. 
Edgerton, 1835, '37 ; Crawford B. Sheldon, 
1836; Samuel Gordon, 1839; Truman H. 
Wheeler, 1840, '47 ; Abraham DeGroff, 1841 ; 
Richard Titus, 1842 ; Henry Edger- 
ton, 1843; Peter P. Wright, 1844, '45; 
Nathaniel Hathaway, 1846 ; Calvin How- 
ard, 1848; Albert Edgerton, 1849; Robert 
Parker, 1850; Norwood Bowne, 1851, '63-'65 
John Blanchard, 1852, '53, '54, '61; James H 
Wright, 1854, '57, '74; Sheldon Griswold, 1855 
Stephen C. Johnson, 1856; John W. Woodruff, 
1858 ; Jonas A. Hughston, 1860 ; John A. Parshall 
1862 ; Jesse Palmer, 1866-'70 ; B. F. Gerowe, 1871 
E. P. Cormack, 1872; Artemus D. Knapp, 1873 
Seth H. White, 1875, '76 ; James H. Graham, 1877 
'78 ; Jonas M. Preston, 1879, '80 ; Ira B. Kerr, 1881 
George L. Gordon, 1882; Mortimer A. White 
1883-'88 ; William R. Bill, 1889, '90 ; Sherrili E 
Smith, 1891, '92, '93, '94 ; Henry S. Graham, 1895- 
'97. 




THE EDGERTON HOUSE. 



THE DELHI HISTOEIOAL SOUVENIR. 



49 




JOHN T. DODDS. 

John T. Dodds, the proprietor of the Central 
House, was a clerk for five or six years for Fred 
Griffis when he condu(ited the Edgerton House. 
In December, 1894, he went into partnership with 
M. E. Arbuekle and the two conducted the Edger- 
ton for a year, when they separated, Mr. Dodds 
going into the livery business. In December, 1896, 
he bought the Central and has since not only im- 
proved the property but has built up a paying bus- 
iness and made the hotel quite popular. This 
house is centrally located on Main street and the 
interior is arranged for the best convenience of 
the guests. The house accommodates fifty lodg- 



ers. The table is well supplied and the ac- 
commodations generally are first-class. 
Those who have stopped at this house will 
come again. It is very widely known through 
the county and has always drawn a large 
patronage from the surrounding towns. 
Since Mr. Dodds took possession he has 
gained a promising patronage from the 
traveling public. He was born in Hamden, 
August 28, 1861, and for several years trav- 
eled on the road. He is a member of the 
Masonic lodge and chapter and was an ex- 
cise commissioner when the Raines law 
went into effect. He married Sarah Cun- 
ningham, of Delhi, October 31, 1894. 

John J. O'Connor, who does a large mer- 
chant tailor business over Davie & Arbuck- 
le's office, corner of Main and Court streets, 
came to Delhi in 1880 and soon demonstra- 
ted that a fashionable tailor would obtain 
warm support here. That trade which had 
gone to the cities up to that time turned 
his way, simply because he made it his 
business to eater only to the best class of 
people, those who demanded the finest suit- 
ings, those who were always well dressed. 
Mr. O'Connor had been educated in the business at 
McCauley's in Albany, and at Sharpe's in Troy. 
The latter is to-day the leader in New York. The 
people of Delhi are fastidious in dress and Mr. 
O'Connor consequently enjoys a select trade. His 
work is classed among the best. His business is 
not confined to Delhi but goes to all the surround- 
ing towns, from which he obtains the best trade. 
Customers are so well pleased with his work that 
when they leave town they continue their trade with 
him. He has several customers on the Pacific slope. 
He is a native of Albany, born July 12, 1859, and 
married to Miss Addie Moore, of Delhi. He was a 
member of the fire department for sixteen years, 
having held all the offices in the Graham Hook 
and Ladder Company, No. 3. 




GEORGE ADEE'S RESIDENCE. 



50 



THE DELHI HISTOBICAL SOUVENIK. 




HOX. WILLIAM MURRAY. 

The Hon. William Murray, for neai'ly twenty 
years on the Supreme Court bench in the Sixth 
judicial district, was one of the distinguished law- 
yers and jurists of not many years ago who gave 
to the Delaware county bar a standing second to 
that of no other interior county bar in the state. 
He was conspicuous as a successful lawyer, among 
the ablest of his day, and was a man of command- 
ing presence. His frank, rugged nature came to 
him through a long line of Scotch ancestry. His 
parents, natives of Eskdalmuir, Dumfriesshire, 
Scotland, located in Andes. Delaware county, 1818, 



where on November 21, 1820, William Mur- 
ray was born. He attended the district 
school and at the age of 23 years entered 
the Delaware Academy, where he pursued a 
course of hard study for two years, acquire 
ing the higher branches of learning that fit- 
ted him to fill responsible duties. His broth- 
er. Dr. David Murray, was his room mate 
at the academy. They furnished their own 
room and boarded themselves. Dr. David 
Murray, who afterward became a distin- 
guished professor in Kutgers College, New 
Bi'unswick, N. J., made a wide reputation 
in re-establishing in Japan a modern system 
of education. Judge Mui-ray was a self 
made man. When a boy he was inured 
to hardships. It is related that for sev- 
eral days he carried on his back his 
younger brother, who was temporarily crip- 
pled from an accident, to and fi'om school, 
a distance of two miles. In his youth he 
was employed in all kinds of work on his 
father's farm and cleared considerable land. 
Upon leaving school he entered the law 
office of Hon. Samuel Gordon in Delhi. He 
is quoted as having said that his mind was turned 
to a profession from having acquired self confidence 
to make an address by serving as president of a 
local temperance society. On January 3, 1848, he 
was admitted to the bar, at a General Term of the 
Supreme Court held at Albany, two years earlier 
having been chosen Justice of the Peace, in which he 
served four years or until 1850. about which time he 
began active practice in Delhi. He subsequently was 
elected District Attorney and served three years. In 
1863 he was elected County Judge and Surrogate, his 
term expiring in 1867. January 27, 1868, Gov. Eeu- 




VIEW OP DELHI FROM MRS. DAVID MURRAY'S RESIDENCE. 



THE DELHI HISTORICAL SOUVENIR. 



51 



ben E. Fenton appointed him Justice of the Su- 
preme Court to fill the vacancy caused by the 
resignation of Judge Mason. In 1869 he was 
elected to fill the position, and in 1877 was re- 
elected without opposition, both party conventions 
unanimously nominating him. He occupied the 
bench until the day of his death, which occurred 
at the residence of a friend in Elmira on June 7, 
1887. He was stopping there for rest in hopes of 
recruiting his health. Illness came upon him sud- 
denly in the night. A telegram to his son, David 
Murray, who was then at Binghamton, was written 
but before it had been forwarded the Judge passed 



Delhi. Mr. and Mrs. David Murray, whose sum- 
mer home, a residence built by Judge Murray and 
delightfully situated, is shown in an accompanying 
engraving, were married May 25, 1886. Mrs. Mur- 
ray is the daughter of Commodore Gillis of the Uni- 
ted States Navy. Mr. David Murray is a graduate 
of Rutgers College and a specialist in insurance 
law, in which he has a large practice. The fore- 
sight of Judge Murray was shown many years ago 
when he advised his son David to practice in a 
special line. 

The Y. P. S. C. E., Second Presbyterian Church, 
began its good work September 22, 1891, and has 






MRS. DAVID MURRAY'S RESIDENCE. 



away quietly and without pain. He was a strong 
Whig until the organization of the Republican 
party, to which he was ever afterward loyal, sup- 
porting President Lincoln and his war measures 
with all the influence he possessed. He was mar- 
ried to Rachel M. Merwin of Bloomville, November 
21, 1850, She died April 19, 1876. The remains of 
both rest in Woodland Cemetery, Delhi. Their 
children are David Murray, the eldest, a member 
of the law firm of Dowe, Murray & Hartridge, 35 
Nassau street, New York, and Asher Murray, 
Surrogate of Wadena County, Minn., each of 
whom have a family of five children, and Mrs. 
Annie M., the wife of Alexander Conklin of 



proved of great help to the church, educating the 
young to become active workers. The devotional 
meetings are held Sabbath evenings one hour be- 
fore the preaching service. Business meetings are 
held once a month. There is also a Junior Society 
in connection with the church, well attended. 

Bramley Mountain affords one of the best out- 
looks in the vicinity of Delhi. It is distant about 
eight or ten miles and accessible with teams. The 
view is grand, extending for miles in all directions. 
It is well worth the time and ti-ouble to make the 
trip. 



52 



THE DELHI HlSTOKlGAL SOUVENIR. 



Calvin Howard Bell was another of the early 
residents of Delhi whose business and professional 
career constitute a part of the history of this town, 
and who after achieving success in his chosen field, 
passed away leaving substantial fruits of an active 
and industrious life. Mr. Bell was a native of the 
county, born in Harpersfield on May 5, 1825. 
Reared on a farm he was taught the value of thrift 
and self reliance. At 15 years of age he began to 
pay his own way through school. Three years 
later he began the study of law in the office of S. 
C. Johnson, at Delhi, who was at that time elecjted 
State Senator. Mr. Bell was admitted to practice 
in August, 1847, and formed a copartnership with 
Mr. Johnson. On August 7, 1848, he dissolved 
partnership and started west. He arrived in Han- 
nibal, Mo., November 1, 1848, opened a law office 
there and spent the ensuing winter teaching school 
in Hannibal. His sons possess a diary which he 
kept in those days, 
showing the regu- 
larity of business 
habits he acquired. 
He was one of the 
"forty-niners," as 
those who were at- 
tracted to California 
during the gold ex- 
citement were 
called. In company 
with a party of Mis- 
sourians he started 
from WaiTen, Mo., 
for the gold fields, 
April 11, 1849. For 
four months the 
caravan toiled over- 
land. The journey 
was over 2,400 miles 
of almost unknown 
country. For more 
than a year he pur- 
sued mining on the 
middle and south 
forks of the American river, meeting with 
abundant success. He returned to New York via 
Panama and reached Dellii in December, 1850. 
Here he settled down to law practice. On October 
2, 1851, he married Fannie L., the daughter of Ed- 
mund Roberts, of Portsmouth, N. H. As his busi- 
ness interests increased he started a banking busi- 
ness in 1870 which is continued at this time by his 
sons. His success in life was that of a self made 
man, and upon his death, which occurred Novem- 
ber 29, 1890. he left three sons, Edmund Roberts, 
Howaid, and Walter Langdon. His wife died Sep- 
tember oO, 18::,7. Both ai-e buried at Woodland. 

The Bell family was among the earliest settlers 
ill the county, descending from English and Scotch. 
Mi's. Calvin H. Bell was descended on one side 
fmm the Langdons, who were identified with the 
eiii'ly history of this country, and from the Rob- 
•Mtses, who included a distiuguislKMl officer in the 
English navy and an nmbassadoi- to China. Ed- 
mund R. and Walter L. Bell still continue the 
banking business founded by their father and are 
largely engaged in real estate transactions. The 




CALVIN HOWARD BELL 



former has served on the village board of trustees 
and is a member of the fire department. The lat- 
ter is also interested in local aifairs, a member of 
the fire department and of the Masonic Order. 

Dr. Howard Bell was graduated from the Uni- 
versity of the City of New York in 1884. He is a 
member of the Delaware County Medical Society 
and of the Delhi Lodge F. & A. M. and the Nor- 
wich Commandery. 

Delhi Mineral Springs. — In Elk Creek valley, 
four miles from Delhi, on the old Crane farm, 
is a well of bubbling mineral water and very 
few people are aware that when charged it is 
equal to apoUinaris or gyser. Strangers who have 
drank the water from this fountain like it as well 
as Saratoga water, and many cannot tell the dif- 
ference. One of the druggists in the village 
charges the water and draws it from his soda 
fountain. In 1891 the farm passed into the hands 
of the late W. C. Sheldon, a native of Delhi and a 

New York banker, 
and he employed C. 
F. Chandler, Ph. D., 
to make an analysis. 
Prof. Chandler wrote 
that the spring would 
supply "an excellent 
table water as a sub- 
stitute for appollina- 
ris or similar wa- 
ters." His analysis 
was as follows : 
"Chloride of sodium, 
233.8541 gr. ; chloride 
of potassium, 0.2107 
gr. ; bromide of sodi- 
um, 0.9045 gr. ; iodide 
of sodium, 0.0731 gr. ; 
sulphate of potassa, 
0.0524 gr. ; bicarbon- 
ate of lithia, 1.3005 
gr. ; bicarbonate of 
iron, 0.6368 gr. ; bi- 
carbonate of lime, 
35.9839 gr. ; bicar- 
bonate of magnesia, 10.7621 gr. ; alumina, 
0.0579 gr. ; phosphate of soda, traces ; silica, 
0.3732 gr. ; organic and volatile matter, traces." 
Some sixty-five years ago (1832) a boring was made 
to the depth of 392 feet. Salt water was obtained 
at two separate points — the lower spring being 
much stronger in saltness and of much greater 
volume. The water arose nearly to the surface 
and that, too, in great abundance. Several hun- 
dred barrels of the finest quality of salt were man- 
ufactured. Messrs. Crane Brotheis, owners of the 
farm, prosecuted the work, obtaining the necessary 
means by mortgaging their acres. Not under- 
standing how to keep out fresh water their efforts 
did not prove profitable and they abandoned the 
work, dropping an iron plug into the well. Thirty- 
three years later, when renewed efforts to work 
the well were made the removal of the plug was 
effected with considerable effort and at great ex- 
pense. " The Elk Creek Salt and Petroleum Com- 



THE DELHI HISTORICAL SOUVENIR. 



53 



pany " was the name of the company which was 
incorporated on March 22, 1865, "for mining salt, 
petroleum and other minerals and the taking, re- 
ceiving and vending the same when so refined." 
The capital stock was $300,000 comprising 60,000 
shares. There were six trustees named as fol- 
lows : Jesse Palmer, A. Cook Edgerton, Robert 
Douglas, William Woolerton, John Hutson and 
Thomas G. McLaury. The company leased 350 
acres for twenty-one years and the headquarters 
were located in Robert Douglas' office. I. Dean 
was hired as superintendent and there was great 
excitement in town. The machinery was placed in 
position June 3, 1H65. On July 10, 1865, the first 
thirty feet of pipe were driven, and on July 22 fol- 
lowing they struck a salt vein at the depth of 215 
feet, in which there were indications of oil. On 
September 27, 1865, the well had been driven 575 
feet and after that date, a careful examination of 
the files of the Gazette from which the above facts 
are gleaned, failed to discover any further refer- 
ence to the project. It is understood the company 
sunk several thousand dollars. 

The original stock book of the company is now 



10 s. ; R. Douglas, 200 s., second subscription ; Mrs. 
Mary G. Frost, 50 s. ; A. Cook Edgerton, 50 s., fifth 
subscription ; Mrs. Anna Ann Lapham, 50 s. ; Cath- 
arine B. Leal, 10 s. ; C. A. Frost, 25 s. ; J. S. Page, 
200 s., second subscription; Russell Frost, 15 s.; 
Howard Frost, 10 s. ; Blanchard & Woodruff, 50 s. ; 
John W. Fortune, 50 s. ; John L. Wiesmer, 50 s. ; 
John S. Murray, 10 s. ; Wm. Flower, 20 s. ; Thomas 
G. McLaury, 200 s., third subscription; J. P. 
Bropean, 100 s. 

The principal object of the company was to 
strike petroleum. Isaac Dean, the superinten- 
dent, was an oil expert got here from Pennsylvan- 
ia expressly to put down the well. While the 
company failed to obtain what they were after 
it was demonstrated that most excellent mineral 
water flows in abundance and that the springs 
can be made not only a popular summer resort or 
sanitarium but that the waters put on the market 
would command a large sale. For years tiiey 
have been used in Delhi and vicinity as a bever- 
age and physicians have prescribed them with ex- 
cellent results. 

In 1858 or '60 Mrs. Herman D. Gould who at 
that time owned the farm put in a dozen kettles 







BELL BROTHERS' RESIDENCE. 



in the possession of Mr. Orrin W. Smith, who at 
the time was a law partner of Jesse Palmer, the 
president of the company. The stock certificates 
were handsomely engraved on parchment. The 
vignette which ornamented each certificate was 
that of a deer going to a " lick." It was said that 
years ago the brine came out of the earth affording 
an excellent deer "lick." The certificate has the 
autographs of "J. Palmer, Pres't," and "Robert 
Douglas, Sec'y." The subscribers and their re- 
spective numbers of shares are as follows : A. Cook 
Edgerton, 10,000 shares ; R. H. Sloan, 50 s. ; Thos. 
Hutson, 15 s. ; Henry A. Scott, 10 s. ; J. S. Page, 
50 s. ; A. A. Van Horn, 50 s. ; R. P. Cormack, 25 s. ; 
G. J. Fisher, 25 s. ; Mrs. Elizabeth Woolerton, 25 s. ; 
0. A. Howe, 25 s. ; Thomas G. McLaury, 12,000 s. ; 
Wm. Woolerton, 1] ,000 s. ; S. A. Swart, 25 s. ; Chas. 
N. Bowne, 25 s. ; John Hutson, 6,000 s. ; R. Doug- 
las, 10,000 s. ; A. Cook Edgerton, 9,000 s. , second 
subscription ; Jesse Palmer, 4,000 s. ; Amasa J. 
Parker, 4,000 s. ; Thomas G. McLaury, 4,000 s., 
second subscription ; Robert Parker, 4,000 s. ; Wm. 
Woolerton, 4,000 s., second subscription; C. H. 
Bell, 4,000 s. ; A. Cook Edgerton, 4,000 s., third 
subscription; A. Cook Edgerton, 200 s., fourth 
subscription ; A. Cook Putnam, 20 s. ; 0. W. Copley, 



and manufactured a large quantity of salt. When 
the first batch was made she invited a party of 
friends to her residence on Main street and served 
with the refreshments a very fine quality of table 
salt which was made from these waters. Many 
of the kettles used at that time are scattered 
about the country in use for watering stock. 

The Sabbath School, Second Presbyterian 
Church of Delhi, was established about the year 
1831 with Mr. Erskine and Mr. Herman D. Gould 
as the first superintendents. Since that time many 
noble, earnest workers have been called home to 
their reward. The present corps of officers and 
teachers consist of : Superintendent, William Clark ; 
Assistant Superintendent, , J. K. Penfleld ; Treas- 
urer. Eugene P. Lynch ; Secretary, Adam Scott. 
Teachers of Bible Classes are Rev. F. H. Seeley, 
Mrs. F. H. Seeley. Mrs. William Wight, Mrs. E. D. 
Wagner, Mrs. m! Palmer, Mrs. M. Champion, Mrs. 
John Gladstone, Miss Jennie Thomas, Miss May 
Hull, Mr. J. K. Penfield, Mr. William Harper and 
Mr. James Harper ; Primary Class, Miss Margaret 
A. McLaury. All are striving to do heartily the 
Master's work. 



54 



THE DELHI HISTORICAL SOUVENIR. 




HON. WILLIAM ULEASON. 

The Hon. William Gleason, a distinguished 
member of the Delaware County bar and for two 
terms, 1852-5 and 1860-'63, County Judge and Sur- 
rogate of Delaware County, was one of the coterie 
of statesmen from this county who were conspicu- 
ous in public affairs. Serving in the State Assem- 
bly in 1851, which held a special session that year, 
he secured the appointment of a special committee 
of which he was made chairman to investigate the 
conditions governing the holding of lands in per- 



was a warm friend and active advocate of 
the "anti-renters" as they were called, and 
he rejoiced when the old un-American feudal 
system was wiped out. He was also active 
in remodeling the free school law which the 
courts had declared unconstitutional. He 
exerted a powerful local influence in behalf 
of the organization of the Republican party 
and was an uncompromising upholder of the 
Union, being one of the prime movers in 
raising tjie Delaware county quota of men 
mustered in as the 144:th New York Volun- 
teers. He was born in Roxbury, Delaware 
county, January 4, 1819, and was educated 
in the Prattsville and Delaware academies 
and by a private tutor under whom he read 
Latin, classics and the higher mathematics. 
Alternately he studied, taught school and 
worked on his father's farm, diligently ap- 
plying himself to the study of law and read- 
ing ancient and modern history, partly sup- 
porting himselfby surveying and practicing 
in justices courts. He served three years as 
town clerk of Stamford and two years as 
superintendent of schools. In 1843 he was admit- 
ted to practice in the county courts, in 1845 to the 
state courts, and finally in the United States dis- 
trict and circuit courts. He practiced law at 
Hobart until 1850 and during the following year 
up to the time he entered the State Assembly he 
carried on a large tannery business, in which he 
had assumed an interest left by a younger brother, 
deceased. He removed to Delhi when elected 
County Judge, in 1851. In 1853 he was married to 




iMRS. JUDGE GLEAbON'tf RESIDENCE. 



petuity by alleged authority of large manorial 
grants made during colonial times which were 
handed dx)wn from father to son. Under that sys- 
tem an onerous exaction of rents was demanded 
stirring up the individual tenants who as they sup- 
posed had bought titles instead of leases, to revolt, 
which threatened to become serious. The Judge 



Caroline B., the daughter of John Blanchard, a 
merchant in Delhi. The Judge died May 9, 1894, 
and was buried at Woodland Cemetery with im- 
pressive services, mourned as a loss to the whole 
community. Mrs. Gleason still resides in the fam- 
ily residence on Main street, occupied by the fam- 
ily for the last forty years. There are three chil- 
dren — John B. and Lafayette B. of New York, and 



THE DELHI HISTOEIOAL SOUVENIR. 



55 



Wallace B. of Delhi. The Delaware county bar 
met on May 10, 1894, and paid high honor to the 
memory of Judge Gleason, passing resolutions in 
which is written: * * * "His work is ended but 
his character for good has left its impress on all 
our minds. * * * The world is better for Judge 




D. J. PURDY, SUP"T BOHDEN'S Ckka.meky. 

Gleason's years and life." The Delaware Acadenay 
trustees, of which he had long been the president, 
on May 21 resolved, * * * "That in the life of 
Judge Gleason we have ever recognized the quali- 
ties of a cultured gentleman and a man of the 
most correct habits and refined taste." The Wal- 
ton Chronicle said: "As a member of the legal 
profession none stood higher in the respect and 
esteem of his associates ; ever kind and courteous 
he was the soul of honor." The Delaware Gazette 
said : " Judge Gleason was a profound lawyer and 
ripe scholar familiar with all the questions of the 
day and ready to discuss them with vigor, intelli- 
gence and apt illustration." 

The Wheelmen of Delhi— The Souvenir of 
Delhi with no reference to its wheelmen would fail 
to represent one of the most important features of 
the life of the town. The roads about Delhi are 
not as well calculated to produce a large riding 
contingency as those of some towns in a more 
level country, how- 
ever. There are 
about 250 riders in- 
cluding a large 
number of ladies, 
which is a good 
proportion for a 
mountain town. 
The most popular 
rides are along the 
river road between 
Walton to the 
south and Stam- 
ford in the oppo- 
site direction, a 
range of 40 miles. 

The Delhi bicy- 
cle trade is we 1 1 
looked after by Stil- 
son, the Stearnes' 
agent ; Harper who 
sells Dayton's, Tri- 
bunes, etc. ; F a r- 
rington, the Rajn- 
b 1 e r man ; E. P. 
Mcintosh, old reli- 
able Col u m b i a s, 



and Crawford Bros, and Adee who push the Craw- 
ford Special. 

The Bicycle Club is now in a torpid state only, 
but the wheelmen are well united when a question 
arises which calls for concerted action. For the 
past three years Delhi has held successful race 
meets which have given universal satisfaction to 
the contestants. Among those who have repre- 
sented Delhi on the track and in various road 
races are Arthur Meeker, Will Roberts, John 
Mannion, Frank Farrington, G. A. Heckroth and 
F. M. Eainey. The first three named have con- 
fined their efforts to track riding and have met 
with a fair portion of success at various county 
meets for the past three years. Farrington, 
Heckroth and Eainey have ridden in both track 
and road races, the first two being particularly 
unlucky iu the matter of falls more or less severe. 

Farrington was the winner of the local cham- 
pionship in '95, Mannion in '96 and '97 has yei lo 
bring forth a star rider. Meeker, Eoberts and 
Eainey while meeting with no prolonged series of 
successes have won more or less good races each 
season. Among the scorchers who do not race 
aie Charles Brand, Elwood Knapp, Henry Woods, 
Samuel Norton and others. 

Touring has scarcely met with the popularity it 
deserves with the wheelmen of Delhi. Will Stur- 
ges is one of our best long distance riders. In 
that category also are W. L. Gerowe, S. H. Nor- 
ton, E. P. Mcintosh and Frank Farrington. Delhi 
numbers comparatively few business men who do 
not ride for business and pleasure. Drs. Goodrich 
and Schumann represent the medical profession 
a-wheel, while the legal fraternity have as riders 
M. M. Palmer, S. F. Adee and John Kemp. Delhi's 
future in the matter of bicycle riding looks bright 
for dealers, racing men, tourists, pleasure riders 
and repairers. 

The Delhi Water Works supplies the village 
from a reservoir, two and a half miles from the 
village, fed by Steele's brook, a mountain stream 
of spring water, which never gets low. The nor- 
mal storage is 6,000 gallons with a (capacity three 
times as great. Having a fall to Main Street of 
196 feet the head is sufficient to throw a stream to 
the top of the highest building. The reservoir was 
built in 1896 by the Delhi Water Co., to replace one 
situated farther down stream and inadequate. 
In 1897 the village became the owner with the 
board of trustees as the water commissioners. 




J. W. WOODRUFF'S RESIDENCE. 



56 



THE DELHI HISTOKICAL SOUVENIE. 




MINOR STILSOM. 

FOUNDER OF LEADING JEWKLBY HOUSE. 

Miaor Stilson came to Delhi and established 
the jewelry business now conducted by Charles E. 
Stilson, his son, in 1837. For two terms he was 
county treasurer, and also served as village trustee. 
He was one of the largest jewelers in this part of 
the state and one of the leading business men, tak- 
ing ail acti ve part in the various political campaigns. 
He distinguished himself in the old Whig days 
whoa he sang the i)opular songs that have become 
famous. He died Nov. 22, 1894, in his 74th year. 
The business came into the hands of M. Stilson & 
Son in 1379, and in 1886 C. K. & H. M. Stilson, the 



sons of the founder. In 1896 H. M. Stilson retired 
and the business is now conducted by C. K. Stil- 
son, who has greatly enlarged the trade and has 
made it the leading jewelry store in Delhi. C. E. 
Stilson was born in Meredith and educated at the 
Delaware Academy. He clerked for McMurray 
Bros, about a year and afterward for his father. 
He took an optical course in the Spencer Optical 
Institute from which he was graduated. His bus- 
iness includes diamonds, watches, all kinds of sil- 
verware, musical instruments and optical goods. 
Mr. Stilson has made a specialty in bicycles and is 
probably one of the largest dealers in that line in 
the county. Mr. Stilson is also a fine engraver 
on silver and other metals such as generally de- 
sired for presents, keepsakes, wedding gifts, 
etc. In 1878 he married Lizzie, the daughter of 
John Hutson. Mr. Stilson is a member of the 
Delhi Masonic lodge. He was also chief of the fire 
department two terms. 

The Dela-ware National Bank is one of the most 
widely known banking institutions of this section. 
It is conducted along conservative lines and is in 
every respect a safe and well established bank. 
For fifty years or thereabout it has been located 
in the building shown in the accompanying engrav- 
ing. Some of the best known men in Delaware 
county have in years back been connected with 
this bank in an executive capacity. Being the only 
national bank at the county seat and located in 
the midst of a large dairy country from which it 
numbers among its patrons prosperous farmers 
and large concerns handling milk for the New York 
market, this institution is in position to command 
a lucrative business and to very largely extend its 
usefuln<^ss. Its capital is $100,000 and the depos- 
its averao^e $300,000 a year. The officers are : Pres- 
ident, John A. Kemp ; Vice-President, Charles S. 
Woodruff; Directors, Henry W. Cannon, George E. 




THE DELAWARE NATIONAL BANK. 



It 



THE DELHI HISTORICAL SOUVENIR. 



57 



Sheldon, H. A. Pitcher, W. B. Gleason; Cashier, 
W. G. Edgerton ; Assistant Cashier, George A. 
Sturges ; Clerks, W. H. Sturges and W. C. Roberts. 

John A. Kemp, attorney and counselor at law, 
was admitted to the bar in 1883 and has since suc- 
cessfully practiced in Delhi. Mr. Kemp is an 
active and zealous worker in the Republican 
party, having devoted considerable personal time 
in attendance at conventions and primaries and in 
effective work at the polls on election. In 
1889-'91 he served in the board of supervisors. 
Owing to a change in the affairs of the Dela- 
ware National Bank he was called upon to 
assume the presidency, which has in a way 
interfered with his law practice, but not to 
the extent of preventing him from paying pai-- 
ticular attention to the interests of his clients, 
and especially some large estates for which he 
is counsel. He was born in Meredith, Septem- 
ber 22, 1854, his father, Peter Kemp, being a 
farmer. He was educated in the Delaware 
Academy and Union College, being graduated 
from the latter institution in 1880 and entering 
the office of Judge Murray, where he pursued 
the study of law. In June, 1894, he married 
Frances E., daughter of Abram C. Willsea of 
Dobbs' Ferry, Westchester County. 

W. G. Edgerton, the Cashier of the Dela- 
ware National Bank, has been with that institu- 
tion since 1873, having served as book-keeper 
and subsequently succeeded his uncle, Walter 
H. Griswold, to the position of cashier, in which 
the latter served for thirty-five years. He was 
born in Delhi, June 29, 1858, and was educated 
in the Academy in that village. In 1888 he 
married Carrie A. N., the daughter of Prof. 
Sherrill E. Smith. He is Past Master of the 
Delhi Lodge No. 439, F. & A. M., High Priest of 
the Delhi Chapter, No. 249, and member of the 
Norwich Commandery, No. 46. 

Gleason & Kiff, dealers in coal, plaster, fer- 
tilizers and principally feed, succeeded the firm 
of Gleasons & Kiffs, who were successors to 
Hutson Bros. This business was established 
during the civil war, and has extended very 
widely through the adjacent country. The firm 
of Gleasons & Kiffs comprised fathers and sons. 
The two latter constitute the present firm. 
They are Messrs. Wallace B. Gleason and 
Charles E. Kiff. Surrounded by large dairy in- 
terests they conduct a large trade in feed, oper- 
ating a three-run mill which turns out only a 
small part of the feed they handle and sufficient 
grist to supply the local trade with buckwheat 
flour. In addition to the capacityof the mill 
and adjacent building they have a warehouse 
for storage purposes, the total capacity of both 
structures being about sixty car loads of feed. 
They also handle very largely the Ontario & 
Western and the D. & H. coal. W. B. Gleason, the 
son of the distinguished Judge Gleason, was born 
in Delhi March 14, 1859. He was educated at the 
Delaware Academy. In August, 1883, he married 
Margaret, the daughter of Wm. Fletcher. Charles 
E. Kiff is a trustee of the village, elected in 1895. 
He was born in Kortright, April 18, 1862. In 1869 
his father came to Delhi and became proprietor of 
what was for years known as Kiff's Hotel, now the 



American. In 1893 he was a partner with John 
Hutson, the present proprietor, in the hotel busi- 
ness, a year afterward becoming actively engaged 
in the present business. He is a water commis- 
sioner and is secretary and treasurer of the board. 
On October 29, 1891, he married Mabel, the daugh- 
ter of James Gilfillan, once United States Treasurer 
and a resident of New York City. 

Delhi Lodge, No. 748, I. O of G. T., was insti- 
tuted November 7, 1877. The charter members 




CHAS. R. STILSON'S JEWELRY STORE. 

were Truman H. Wheeler, Charles N. Bowne, 
James H. Banker, Robert Sinclair, John B. Mur- 
ray, C. B. Hanford, Robert Young, W. R. McCour- 
tie, James F. Currie, Fred Miller, John Frazier, 
James A. Mable, Walter D. Miller, T. W. Lester, 
Charles Kissock. At the first meeting sixteen per- 
sons were initiated. James H. Banker served the 
first year as Worthy Chief Templar. 



58 



THE DELHI HISTORICAL SOUVENIR. 



in 

the Delaware 
he began the 
completing his 



Horatio Nelson Buckley, M. D., who was among 
the early residents of Delhi, was born at Unadilla, 
Otsego county, N. Y., Dec. 25, 1819. He was a 
distinguished physician with an extensive prac- 
tice, a citizen of high standing who took a promi- 
nent part in all matters pertaining to public inter- 
ests and an active Republican leader in this 
county. While a student at 
Literary Institute at Franlilin 
study of medicine, and upon 
course there he entered the College of Physi- 
cians and Surgeons in New York City, where he 
was graduated in April, 1845, settling down to 
practice in Delhi the same year. A co-partnership 
soon after was formed between him and Dr. Almi- 
ron Fitch, a physician of high standing, which Arm 
became widely known and attained a successful 
practice. Dr. Buckley had an extended reputa- 
tion as a physician and in late years he was often 
called upon to counsel in complicated eases and 
his decisions were regarded as conclusive both as 
to the character of 
the disease and the 
best treatment to be 
adopted. 

In politics he was 
originally a Whig 
and when the Re- 
publican party was 
formed he espoused 
its principles and 
was one of its active 
supporters, going as 
a delegate to the 
National Convention 
at Chicago in IBfiO 
which nominated 
Abraham Lincoln for 
President and taking 
an earnest part in 
the campaign that 
followed. On several 
occasions he was a 
delegate t o State. 
Congressional and 
Senatorial conven- 
tions, and at the 
Republican Congres- 
sional Convention in 
1868 his name was 
presented by the del- 
e g a t e s from Dela- 
ware county, although the nomination went else- 
where. He was a staunch supporter of Lincoln's 
policy for suppressing the rebellion. During the 
war he served as a special examining physician 
and for a few years after was a member of the pen- 
sion examining board. He was elected County 
Treasurer in 1851 and occupied that position for 
nine years. As one of the village trustees he took 
pride in local improvements and was one of the 
organizers of the Delhi Water Company, in which 
he served as trustee up to the time of his death. 
On March 13, 1858, he was made a trustee of Dela- 
ware Academy and was president of the board 
several years. He had also in early years been a 
School Commissioner, and on January 23, 1871, was 
appointed Postmaster of Delhi, holding the office 
until March 7, 1887. In the meantime the doctor 
attended faithfully to his practice and made calls 
far and near, as the case required, up to the time 
he was compelled to take to his bed, which was 
within a few weeks of his death. As Mr. J. A. 
Parshall, the Delhi historian, has written, Dr. 
Buckley "died in the harness, full of years and of 
honor, loved and respected by all," his death oc- 
curring on January 24, 1894. The funeral ser- 




HORATIO NELSON BUCKLEV, M. D. 



vices were held at his house and were largely 
attended, his death occasioning a loss to the 
town. The Rev. F. H. Seeley, the pastor of the 
Second Presbyterian Church, in which society the 
doctor had long been a communicant and of 
which he was for years a trustee, conducted the 
funeral service. 

Dr. Buckley was twice married, his first wife 
being Miss Elizabeth Case of Franklin, by whom 
he had two children. Dr. John J. Buckley, Chief 
Surgeon of the Western Division of the Northern 
Pacific Railroad and a resident of Missoula. Mont., 
and Charles H. Buckley, of the Second National 
Bank of St. Paul, Minn. His second wife. Miss 
Jennie Thomas of Stamford, survived the death 
of her husband but a short time, her death oc- 
curring on August 6, 1896. There were three 
daughters by the second marriage, two of whom 
are dead, Mrs. Buckley Adee, wife of S. F. Adee 
of Delhi surviving. 

G. A. Heckroth is the leading grocer in town 
and has a large business in crockery, dry goods, 

notions and general 
merchandise. His 
place of business is 
in what is known as 
the "Big Store," at 
the corner of Main 
and Division streets. 
This store is cen- 
trally located and for 
over thirty years 
there has been car- 
ried on here a busi- 
ness which is regard- 
ed as one of the most 
important in the 
town. It was in this 
place that Mr. Heck- 
roth first started in 
business with Mr. L. 
M. Walsworth in 
1893. In February, 
1895. the former re- 
tired but in the fol- 
lowing December he 
bought the entire 
business and hae 
since greatly en- 
larged his facilities, 
extended his trade 
and added considera- 
bly to the general line of goods usually carried by 
merchants who engage in much larger business in 
considerably larger towns. He is one of the prin- 
cipal dealers in green groceries such as fruit and 
vegetables ; also provisions handling only the best 
and most popular lines of which he is fully stocked. 
Everything in season, the earliest the market 
affords, is to be found here, new and fresh. Mr. 
Heckroth was born in Colchester, March 9, 1867, 
coming to Delhi in 1880 and attending the Dela- 
ware Academy. Upon leaving school he went into 
the employ of Menzie about 1884 and was there 
most of the time until he started in business for 
himself. He is a member of the Masonic order 
and the Zeta Phi club. 

O. T. Morgan, the photographer, has had 
twenty-five years experience and he turns out ex- 
cellent work. He began the business in Oneonta 
and in 1891 came to Delhi and took the gallery 
conducted by Granger, who had run it about five 
years. Mr. Morgan has done considerable fine 
work for this Souvenir. He is good at portrait or 
viewing. He was born in Plymouth, N. H., June 
8, 1851, and married Miss Jennie Goodenough, of 
Worcester, Otsego Co. 



THE DELHI HISTORICAL SOUVENIR. 



59 



Orrin W. Smith, was born in Oneonta, N. Y., 
November 23, 1826. He was brought up on a farm 
and had no means or opportunity to obtain a lib- 
eral education, and soon after arriving of age he 
purchased some law books and commenced the 
study of the law. In May, 1850, he came to Delhi, 
finished his studies in the law office of Amasa & 
Robert Parker and was admitted to the bar at 
Norwich, January 13, 1852. He is the oldest prac- 
ticing lawyer in the county. He has paid little or 
no attention to politics, having devoted his entire 
time to his profession. In addition to other profit- 
able business he has had the charge and manage- 
ment of many large estates. He is Past Master of 
Delhi Lodge F. & A. M., and was for many years a 
vestryman of St. John's Church and until his resig- 
nation in 1884. He married Harriet E. Miller of 
Cannon sville, N. Y., October 17, 1854. She died 
November 16, 1893. She was the grand-daughter 
of Waite Cannon, one of the early settlers of Can- 
non sville. Mr Smith has lived quietly and en- 
joyed his profession, 
his fine library, his 
numerous friends 
and his very pleas- 
ant and comfortable 
home. Prof. S. E. 
Smith, proprietor 
and editor of the 
Delaware Gazette, is 
his brother. 

Delhi Kept the 
County Seat. — Prior 
to 1868 frequent ef- 
forts were made to 
divide the county of 
Delaware, or to de- 
tach portions of the 
county for a union 
with other counties 
or to form new coun- 
ties, all of which ef- 
forts endangered the 
retention of the 
county seat in Delhi. 
The citizens of this 
place were frequent- 
ly compelled to raise 
money or send par- 
ties to Albany dur- 
ing the sessions 

of the legislature to remonstrate and defeat such 
proposed legislation. Soon after the general election 
in 1867 another effort was made and the citizens of 
Delhi were again confronted with the old trouble. 
0. W. Smith, Esq., framed a law which was sub- 
mitted to prominent citizens invited by him to 
meet at his office, principal of whom were Judge 
Palmer, James H. Graham, Charles Marvine, Judge 
Gleason, A. C. Edgerton and John Blanchard. 
They approved of the law he had framed and 
agreed that it should be forwarded to Albany at 
once. It was placed in the hands of the Hon. John 
F. Hubbard of Norwich, who represented this dis- 
trict in the state senate and who, with Senator O. 
W. Chapman of Binghamton, succeeded in secur- 
ing its enactment. Gov. Hoffman attached his 
signature and on April 24, 1868, it became a law. 
By the terms of this law it was provided that a 
special town meeting should be held in Delhi on 
May 12, 1868, to vote on the proposition of levying 
a tax of $10,000 to be paid toward the erection of 
permanent county buildings in Delhi (in addition 
to the town's share with other towns) ; in case of 
an affirmative vote the matter was to be presented 
to the board of supervisors. Mr. Smith drew all 




ORRlN W. SMITH. 



the necessary papers to give effect to the provis- 
ions of the law, giving watchful attention to all 
the proceedings. The town meeting ratified the 
proposition with small opposition, the publication 
of notices having been duly made but in an incon- 
spicuous manner. When the supervisors met in 
November of that year. Judge Murray appeared 
with the resolution duly drawn. Mr. Graham, 
chairman of the board, by a pre-arranged plan se- 
cured the hearing of the resolution and at once 
put it to a vote. Scattering "ayes" were heard 
and the resolution was declared carried, after 
which the board adjourned. It provided that the 
offer of $10,000 should be accepted and that a court 
house should be built at an expense not to exceed 
$40,000. In 1869 the building was erected. The 
plan was conducted so quietly and effectively that 
no opposition was aroused, and since then there 
has been no agitation for the removal of the county 
buildings. 

Jackson & Mason are the largest dealers in 
furniture in the county and in connection with 

that line they are the 
leading undertakers. 
Their store on Main 
street, Delhi, . com- 
prises two floors very 
heavily stocked with 
all lines of the best 
furniture. A visit to 
the place will sur- 
prise any one. The 
main stock of goods 
are on the first fioor. 
In the rear are the 
man u fact u r i n g and 
machine shops. On 
the second floor 
there are five depart- 
ments, viz : sofas, ta- 
bles, mattresses, 
chairs and caskets, 
all well stocked. The 
business reaches out 
through the adjacent 
towns. William 
Jackson, the senior 
partner, came from 
Scotland, locating in 
Delhi in 1856 and go- 
ing into the employ 
of a cabinet maker 
in a shop then lo- 
cated on Meredith street near where Becker now is. 
Two years later Mr. Jackson and his brother 
Thomas succeeded to the business, which they 
subsequently conducted on Division street for 
many years, moving to the store now occupied by 
Jackson & Mason in 1878. During the war and for 
several years after W. & T. Jackson manufactured 
most of their goods. Willard I. Mason was born 
in New York May 16, 1860, and came to Delhi in 
1881, when he bought out the interest of Thomas 
Jackson. That year he married Mary the daugh- 
ter of William Jackson. 

"Round Top" is the local name (mentioned on 
page 1 as Mount Crawford) for an elevation which 
is one of the prettiest in this section of the State. 
It is entirely covered whith a large and luxuriant 
growth of maple and beech which presents a mag- 
nificent appearance. As has been stated, its con- 
formation is that of a perfect dome. The late and 
highly respected Edwin H. Sheldon left this moun- 
tain as a legacy to the village of Delhi to be al- 
ways kept as a preserve or park with stipulations 
that it should bear the first name of his father — 
Crawford, that shooting and fires shouM be pro- 
hibited. 



60 



THE DELHI HISTOEICAL SOUVENIE. 



Woodburn & Smyth, dealers in monuments, are 
widely known throughout the eastern part of this 
State. Tliey have placed a large amount of very 
creditable work in this section, notably among 
which are the Segrim family monument at Marga- 
retville, which consists of a six-foot-high Barre 
granite monument surmounted by a four and one- 
half foot figure in Italian marble of an angel with 
uplifted arm and hand and pointed finger, the 
other hand holding Easter lilies. Other monu- 
ments which they have erected are a Scotch gran- 
ite cottage monument to Walter A. Doig, at Bovina 
Centre ; the Seacord familj' monument at Andes ; 
a Barre granite sarcophagus weighing nine tons, 
erected in Woodland Cemetery, Delhi, to County 
Judge William Gleason, that is an exceptionally 
fine piece of work ; the Northrup family monu- 
ment at Kingston, N. Y. ; the Eobert G-lover mon- 
ument in Evergreen Cemeterj', at Brookl3''n, N. Y. ; 



location, 514-516 Main street, having purchased 
the property of M. L. Cleveland. Mr. Woodburn 
was married on March 20, 1894, to Miss Elizabeth 
M. Hoyt, of Delhi. He is a member of Delhi 
Lodge, I. 0. 0. F., of which he is a Past Grand and 
at present Conductor. He is also a member of 
Howard Division, Sons of Temperance, of which 
he is a Past Worthy Patriarch and at present 
Treasurer ; and of Graham Hook and Ladder Com- 
pany, No. 3, and is now Assistant Chief of the 
Delhi Fire Department. E. C. Smyth was born at 
Bloomville, on March 10, 1851, and moved to Delhi 
in February, 1894, when he became a member of 
the firm of Woodburn & Smyth, and assumed 
charge of the outside work of the firm. He taught 
school for seventeen years at the Andes Institute, 
Bloomville, and Amenia Seminary, having charge 
of the Business Department of the latter. Mr. 
Smyth was married in 1876 to Miss Kozalia Every, 




AAOODBURN & SMYTH'S MONUMENT WORKS. 



and a Barre granite sarcophagus to Captain John 
CraAvford, ex-Sheriff of Delaware County, at Daven- 
port, that is rough finished and weighs seven tons. 
They are now at work on a Scotch granite family 
monument for Eli Eoberts, to be erected at Bloom- 
ville, that is large and beautiful and of exception- 
ally fine material and workmanship. John A. 
Woodburn was born at Walton; on December 5, 
1864, and his family moved to Delhi in 1866, re- 
maining here until 1881, when they removed to 
Walton. Mr. Woodburn started his trade with his 
father at Walton, was employed by Howe Bros, at 
Oneonta for three years, and in 1891 started in 
business at Delhi, succeeding John Calhoun, on 
Court street, the firm being J. A. Woodburn & Co., 
(the Company being J. & W. B. Woodburn, his 
father and brother.) On February 1, 1894, E. C. 
Smyth purchased the interest of J. & W. B. Wood- 
burn and in 1895 they moved to their present 



daughter of Hiram Every, of Bloomville. He is a 
member of Coquago Engine Company, No. 1, and 
of Delhi Lodge, F. & A. M., having transferred 
from Amenia Lodge, No. 632, of Amenia, Dutchess 
County, N. Y. 

Ladies' Missionary Society, Second Presbyter- 
ian Church. — No branch of the church work is more 
faithfully performed than that under the direction 
of this society, which was organized November 26, 
1879, and has been in active work ever since. The 
first President was Mrs. Maurice Farrington, and 
Mrs. George Adee served as our eflicient Treasurer 
for some years. The present officers are : Presi- 
dent, Mrs. Sarah Williamson ; Vice-President, Mrs. 
E. E. Harkness; Treasurer, Mrs. Adam Scott; 
Secretary, Miss Margaret A. McLaury. The funds 
are equally divided between the Home and For- 
eign Boards, 'and there are sent away every year 
valuable boxes of l^clothing and bedding to various 
fields. There is much earnest, enthusiastic work 
among the members. 



THE DELHI HISTORICAL SOUVENIR. 



61 




L. M. WOODRUFF & SON, LUMBER YARD 

L. M. Woodruff & Son, lumber merchants, are 
located on Main street, where their business com- 
prises the offices of the firm and extensive build- 
ings and yards. The accompanying engraving 
showing the front does not exhibit the full extent 
of the storage of lumber or the amount of room in 
which the firm carry a large stock in builders' sup- 
plies. They have a yard near the depot which is 
also largely stocked 
with lumber. The 
business was start- 
ed about ten years 
ago by Walter Ma- 
ble and in January 
1895 it passed into 
the hands of L. M. 
Woodruff & Son. 
The latter, both of 
whom are carpen- 
ters by trade, are 
large contractors 
and builders, hav- 
ing erected a num- 
ber of very pretty 
residences in this 
vicinity. L. M. 
Woodruff was born 
in Elizabeth, N. J., 
October 10, 1840, 
and for several 
years worked in the 
building line. In 
1863 he was mus- 
tered into service 



with H Independ- 
ent Battery, serv- 
ing until the bat- 
tery was disbanded 
in 1864. In 1867 he 
came to Delhi to 
locate, having two 
years previous 
married Miss Jen- 
nie Blair of this 
village. Mr. Wil- 
liam Blair Wood- 
ruff, the junior 
member of th e 
firm, was born in 
Delhi in 1868. He 
attended school at 
the Delaware Acad- 
emy and afterward 
worked at building 
until the firm was 
organized. He now 
has supervision of 
the several build- 
ing contracts wliieh 
are taken by this 
firm, who are prob- 
ably the principal 
conti-act builders in 
this section of the 
state. He married Miss Mary Haviland of Eliza- 
beth, N. J., in July, 1895. He is a member of the 
village board of trustees elected in 1896. 

Ladies' Aid Society, Second Presbyterian 
Church. — The social activity of the church is 
maintained by this society, whose membership in- 
cludes all the ladies of the congregation. There 
are frequent church teas and other entertain- 
ments. 



\, 




ENTRANCE TO WOODLAND CEMETERY. 



62 



THE DELHI HISTORICAL SOUVENIR. 



J. A. & A. C. Douglas, the leading clothing and 
dry goods firm of Delhi, organized under the pres- 
ent name on February 17, 1896, occupy two large 
stores on Main street, which are stocked with a 
full line of clothing, dry goods, boots and shoes, 
hats and caps, trunks, satchels, mattings and car- 
pets and groceries. There is not a larger business 
in the general line above enumerated conducted 
elsewhere in the county. The business was estab- 
lished in 1868 by Mitchell & Hunt and has been 
continued steadily since then, gradually increas- 
ing in importance until it has reached the present 
proportions. 

John A. Douglas was born in New Kingston, 
Delaware county, April 7, 1870, and was educated 
in the Delaware Literary Institute at Franklin. 
On August 26, 1891, he entered the employ of J. K. 
Hood as clerk and on February 2, 1892, he was ad- 
mitted to the business as a partner. On February 
13, 1895, he bought his partner's interest and con- 
tinued the business alone until the following year 
when his brother was 
admitted. Mr Doug- 
las is a member of 
the Masonic Lodge. 
On October 12, 1892, 
he was married to 
Agnes F., the daugh- 
ter of ex-Sheriff Dan- 
iel Franklin,of Delhi. 

A. C. Douglas was 
born in New Kings- 
ton, Delaware Coun- 
ty, July 8, 1868, and 
was graduated from 
the Delaware Liter- 
ary Institute at 
Franklin in 1889. In 
1889-'90 he was prin- 
cipal of the Franklin 
public school, in 1890- 
'91 of the Tarrytown 
Heights school, and 
in 1891-'95 of the 
Chappaqua, West- 
chester count 3', 
school. He came to 
Delhi in 1896 when 
he went into busi- 
ness as a partner 
with his brother. 
He is a member of 
the Royal Arcanum and the Junior order of Amer- 
ican Mechanics, and the Senior Deacon of the Delhi 
Lodge F. & A. M. On February 3, 1897, he mar- 
ried Lillie C, the daughter of G. Marsden Harby. 




IL_ 



A. C. DOUGLAS. 



order of centennial, parade. 

Grand Marshal — Frank L. Norton. 

Platoon of Chief Engineers. 

Carriages containing Speakers and distinguished 
guests. 

First Division. — Marshal, Geo. M. Burgin. — 
Sidney Drum Corps; Thirty-third Separate Com- 
pany, Walton ; May wood Band ; Phelps Hose Com- 
pany, Sidney ; Cartwright H. & L. Company, Sidney ; 
Bovina Band ; Ben Marvin Post, Walton ; J. A. 
Logan Post, Stamford; Eggleston Post, Deposit; 
Plaskett Post, Hancock; Fleming Post, Downs- 
ville; Bryce Post, Hamden; F. T. Hine Post, 
Franklin ; England Post, Delhi. 

Second Division. — Marshal, Wm. Brinkman. — 
Brown's Band, Oneonta ; Stamford Hose Company ; 



Maynard Hose Company, Stamford ; Churchill H. 
& L. Company, Stamfoid ; Fleischmann's Band ; 
Roxbury Hose Company ; Pakatakan Hose Com- 
pany, Matgaretville ; Arena Hose Company ; Hine 
Hose Company, Treadwell. 

Third Division, — Marshal, Geo. O. Leonard. — 
Downsville Band; Shehawken Hose Co., No. 1, 
Hancock; Hancock Hose Co., No. 2, Hancock; 
Hancock H. & L. Co., No. 1, Hancock ; Andes Band ; 
Dowie Hose Company, Andes ; Andes H. & L. Com- 
pany; Hamden Hose Company; Franklin Band; 
Edgerton Hose Company, Franklin ; Edgerton H. 
& L. Company, Franklin. 

Fourth Division. — Marshal, John P. Mathews. 
— Walton Band ; Morrow Hose Company, No. 1, 
Alert Hose Companj', No. 2, Fancher H. & L. Co., 
No. 3, Towusend Hose Company, No. 4, Walton; 
Deposit Band ; Deposit Hose Company ; Bloom- 
ville Band ; Cascade Hose Company, Hobai't ; Delhi 
Band ; Coquago Engine Company, No. 1., Youmans 

Hose Company, No. 
2, Graham H. & L. 
Company, No. 3, 
Sheldon Hose Com- 
pany, No. 4, Active 
Hose Company, No. 
5, Athletic Hose 
Company, No. 6, 
Delhi. 

Errata. — In the 
Civil List, published 
on pages 29, 30 and 
31, errors were made 
which calls from Mr. 
Parshall the follow- 
ing: Joel T. Head- 
ley, born in this 
county, was not a 
resident when elect- 
ed Secretary of 
State; F. L. Norton 
is a member of the 
State Board of Phar- 
macy, elected Au- 
gust, 1890 ; Isaac H. 
.T. A. DOUGLAS. Maynard, Associate 

Judge of the Court of Appeals, served two years ; 
Martin Keeler Sheriff, 1819-'21; Ebenezer Foote, 
not Root, was first Senator, 1799-1802 ; James Ells, 
Member of Assembly 1819, '24 ; Benjamin Benedict, 
Member 1822; George G. Decker, not Derrick, 
Member. Other Members : Matthew Griffin, 1872- 
'74 ; Samuel A. Law, 1858-'60 ; William Lewis, 1872- 
'73, '81; Albert E. Sullard, 1868, '79; Gen. Root 
served in all eleven years; Darius Maples, not 
Mapes. Amasa Parker, not Amasa J., was Surro- 
gate. Jonas (not James) A. Hughston was District 
Attorney. Ferris Jacobs Sr. was never District At- 
torney, but was a physician in Delhi many j^ears. 
The second Clerk of the county was Gebhard (not 
Gebbard). Edwin More was County Judge June 
1847 to December 31, 1851; Daniel T. Arbuckle 
was elected November 1883 and resigned in Octo- 
ber 1889, James R. Baumes being appointed in 
his place and serving until December 31, that 
year. 



'GKIFS" ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT. 



JAS. E. HARPER 



a 



iMmmm, js^fsaff 




Silverware and Optical Goods. 



BICYCLES AND SPORTING GOODS A SPECIALTY. 
FINE REPAIRING. *«***» 



<^-^>, 



Brick Block (Page's Old stand. Established 1 832), 



DELHI, N. Y. 



The 3{air (fuller. 

OPPOSITE THB EOQERTOM HOUSE. 

Particular Attention given to Ladies' f- 
and Cliildren's Work. 

A large trade among traveling men. 

GOOD BARBERS. FIRST-CLASS WORK. 



Cr::^? 





MANUFACTURER, DEALER AND REPAIRER IN 

Carnc06, /^'ollare, ZH^^tps, nianF^ets, 

and all kinds of Horse Furnishings. 
FARMERS' AND BUILDERS' HARDWARE, __^ \ 



OLD FOOTE STORE, MAIN ST., 



DELHI, N. Y, 


















The Latest Styles in Trimmed and Untrimmed Hats 
and the Latest Novelties in Fine Millinery. ^ ^ ^ ^ 

The ladies of Delhi and vicinity will find everything new at this place. 



iifllVlBE^ECHT 8t HEIliD, 



Dhlhi, flfiW York- 



'GKIFS" ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT. 



T. d. dflCKSOK'S 



liUMBEt? Yflf^D 



CLINTON ST., DELHI, N. Y. 



LARGEST STOCK OF 



L 



IN DELAWARE COUNTY. 

PAINTS AND OILS. 

Leading Delhi Livery, 

^ OFFICE AND STABLES 

NEXT THE AMERICAN HOTEL. 




iWaEMiSiiLITEA 



stylish Turnouts 
of all descriptions. 

O Evetytbing is sent out in good style. [P{othing 
O old or unsafe. Experienced drivers furnished 
O if desired. 

]. S. QLENDENING, 

The Popular Liveryman. 



JOHN A. HUNT, 



DEALER IN 



SEiaa il^i^aiil; 



339 MAIN ST., - - DELHI, N. Y. 

WM. G. WOODS, 

Jjarber aad 3{air ^ 



ressmp 



First-class Work. Three Chairs. No Waiting. 

Ladies'' and Children's Parlors in charge of Mrs. Woods. 

ALSO INSTRUCTOR. 

Prof. Woods in all the latest and most popular round 
dances. 

Classes or Private Instruction. 
435 MAIN STREET, DELHI, N. Y. 

W. H. PHYFE, D. V, S., 

Veterinary Stables and Office, 

364 MAIN STREET. 

R. H. NEAL, 

Carting Freight, Baggage, Etc. 

Careful handling of goods. 
Telephone No. 54. At W. D. Mable's. 

WILLIAM WINTER, 

<:^^^City Drug Store, 

DELHI. NEW YORK. 



G. M. HARBY, 



General Blaclcsmitli, 



HORSE SHOEING A SPECIAUTY. 



DELHI, N. y. 



DELHI LAUNDRY, 

All work strictly first-class. 
Liberal terms for agents. 



S. E. BAILEY, Propr. 



DELHI, N. Y. 



MAXWELL & SON, 

FiRST.ci.Ass Livery and Exctiange Stables. 

Office open and horses to let all liours 
of day and night. 



Office and Stables, 



Kingston St., Delhi. 



'GEIFS" ADVEKTISING DEPARTMENT. 



N^ 



D. A. Armstrong, 



whose stable is located on Main street, Delhi, 
near the Edgerton House, is one of the best 
known and oldest liverymen in the business. He began business in Andes in 1879 with 
from 12 to 18 horses. He is familiar with the care and handling of horses and takes pride 
in turning out good rigs. He,.oame to Delhi in December, 1896, and bought out Dodds' 
livery in the rear of B. F.^artlett's residence, and is now conducting the only stable on 
Main street. He can ti^n out both double and single rigs with experienced drivers if de- 
sired. His horses are ahVays kept in good condition and are not only good travelers but 
are safe drivers. The tracing public coming to Delhi, especially commercial men, will 
find it to their advantage to hire at his stable. We have tried him and he is all right. He 
never has but one price, believing that one man's money is as good as another's ; and he 
always makes that price within reach of all. 



O 



^(^/A^ 




9 



ALL KINDS OF PHOTOGRAPHIC WORK. ® © © © ® 

Over twenty years' experience. ♦♦♦ Large and Small Photos. 
Out-of-door Views and Interiors of Residences, Factories and 
Stores. *** Crayons and Water Colors. 



DELHI, N. Y. 

© © 



THE BEST CLASS OF WORK IN EVERY RESPECT. 



^flGKEt^ 8t FISHHI^, 



ATTORNEYS AND COUNSELORS AT LAW, 



o o o DELHI, Del. Co., N. Y. 



HARD WARE AND PLUMBING. 

A complete line of Hardware and Farming Implements. 

The only house in Delhi which sells 

THE RED CROSS RANGE and THE ROUND OAK STOVE, 

THE WALTER A. WOOD ) „^„,r,r.e amp* ocadcdc 
and THE McCORfllCK [LOWERS AND REAPERS, 

THE Mccormick corn harvester. 



'GEIP'S" ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT. 



DELAWARE & 



HUDSON R. R 



Shortest, Quickest and Best Route 
Between 



mW S§RK and FKilTRBlfe. 






All Famous Adirondack Resorts on this Line* 

Connections with all Boats and Trains at Albany. 

The Susquehanna (Floral) Route. 

The Most Magnificent Mountain and Pastoral 
Scenery in the State. 

All Points of Interest to Summer Tourists in 
the Susquehanna, the Charlotte, the Scho- 
harie and Chenango Valleys. 



di 



For Descriptive Guide, send 6 Cents to ' '^- 



J. W. BURDICK, 



GENERAL PASSENGER AGENT, ALBANY, N. ^\\, 



EXPRESS PRINTING HOUSE, PRINTERS &. BINDERS, DELHI, N Y. 



•*HtJ| 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




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